


Gravity Pulls Inwards

by headraline



Series: Gravity of Love [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Genji is still very much a Little Shit, Gravity Plays Favorites -verse, Hanzo is also a surprisingly big shit, Human!Mondatta, Human!zenyatta, M/M, Mentions of Past Dubious Consent, More characters to come, Prologues, aerialist!Genji, aerialist!Hanzo, but I don't wanna clog the tags for now, he's just trying to be edgy because he's in his human-blackwatch phase, sassy Zenyatta anyone?, some sexytimes ensue, upped the rating just in case, yogateacher!Zenyatta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-02-09 06:19:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 41,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12881952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/headraline/pseuds/headraline
Summary: Zenyatta doesn't know what to expect when his brother Mondatta offers to uproot both their life to move to the states, for what, in Mondatta's words, is a 'better chance at living life'.What he does know is that he's really looking forward to his new job as a yoga instructor and all the people he'll get to meet.He wasn't expecting to meet Genji Shimada....then again, no one couldeverhave prepared him for Genji Shimada.prequel to Gravity Plays Favorites.





	1. How they met

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S HAPPENING!!!  
> By popular demand, and also because I want to.  
> Fair warning: the second part might take longer to come out, because I want to make this story exactly four parts:  
> 1- How they met  
> 2-How they fell in love  
> 3-How they finally came out and said it  
> 4-How they became inseparable (and start plotting to get Hanzo together with the hot new guy at Watchpoint) - which would tie back to GPF's beginning.
> 
> That means that parts 2 and 3 cover several years, and will as such be much, much longer than this admittedly brief introduction. As of such, it'll probably take me two or three weeks if not more to get a fully fleshed part 2 out. Please be patient with me.
> 
> This first chapter goes out to the lovely purple_pyro who was very, very enthusiastic about it. Angela will definitely e in part two, and there will be some of the dialogue we talked about ;)
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: I almost forgot to reference Genji's performance! [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SFlZpFMTWM), in all his beauty. Notable moments for Zen are 0:40 -0:42 and 1:00 - 1:05  
> ...like goddamn. I love that video.

Zenyatta always knew his life was different. His brother Mondatta has taken care of the both of them ever since he was born –complications and sepsis taking down their mother in the sub-par, overcrowded and underdeveloped clinic Mondatta had been lucky enough to drag the still mourning woman.

Still, Mondatta never resented him for being the reason mom died, and instead cherished him like the last good and precious thing on this godforsaken rock, blaming it instead on the state of disorder and poverty their homeland was in. Even at fourteen, Mondatta was a headstrong child with a deep rooted sense of right and wrong, so, alone, broke and with a newborn brother to care for, he did the most sensible thing he could think of: he knocked on the door of a monastery, asking to be taken in, in exchange for any kind of manual labor they would be willing to give him.

Fast forward to now, Zenyatta has turned eighteen, the monastery's small farm is flourishing and Mondatta's work with humanitarian causes and crowdfunded organization is already starting to turn heads. Which is why it seems out of the blue when his big brother says: "We're moving to the United States."

"What?" blinking is the only action Zenyatta's confused mind allows.

"I've been doing the paperwork back and forth for a few years, now." Mondatta explains, "Charity:Water has agreed to sponsor my work visa, and now that you're eighteen you can have one too. The charity is in contact with a gym that just so happens to find itself in need of a good yoga teacher."

Zenyatta levels a long look on his brother. "What is this really about, brother?"

It makes the other sigh. His little brother knows him so well. Mondatta looks down at his hands, calloused and rough with years of farm and otherwise manual work done to help others have a better quality of life, just like Zenyatta's are starting to become. He never wanted this for his little brother. The monks were kind hearted and practically the family they never had the chance to enjoy, but Zen is young and talented, a prodigy in his discipline and with a definite knack for teaching. So much so that whenever the monks open up the temple to visiting tourist as a place to stay for peaceful getaways, they practically have to schedule classes for all the people who happen to so much as speak to Zenyatta in passing and become immediately curious.

His little brother can do so much more than waste away in an old temple.

And he himself can do so much more for his hometown than help out through the small monastery. He can raise awareness, branch out, let the world know that there's places were people still have to struggle for their basic needs.

But there's more than that. Zenyatta is just turning 18, and he's grown curious -about himself, his own body, and others. The monks are all celibate, either by choice, vow or happenstance, and he himself came to terms long ago with the lack thereof of a certain kind of urges within him. It doesn't really bother him. But Zenyatta has them, and finds himself with no metre of comparison.

Mondatta remembers fondly the first time they had the Talk, poor Zen was worried there was something wrong with him, because he was seemingly the only one experiencing the effect of his own hormones, and it took half an evening to explain everything. But this matter, funny and small as it seems on the surface, started Mondatta on the train of thought: his little brother needs to see more of the world. Meet people who aren't monks. Live, because that's what one usually does with life. And that's what brought them to heartfelt goodbyes and promises to visit soon, on a windy September morning.

There's the trek out to the village, then the bus to the station in the nearby town, then the train to the capital and finally the plane to Los Angeles.

Despite the exhausting journey, Zenyatta is wide-eyed and amazed every step of the way, burning through three different movies on the plane and only sleeping for a couple of hours. It's understandable, really -he's had the chance to follow Mondatta around for work a couple times, but only around Asia and never too far. It makes his older brother feel all the more right about his choice of finally letting Zenyatta break out of the confines of the monastery.

LA is loud, bustling and far too chaotic for the brothers' jet-lagged minds, and they both collapse in the small studio apartment Mondatta has rented for the next three months, just enough to find a more permanent solution.

Zenyatta practically sleeps through the rest of the day, but it all works out since he's up bright and early the next morning, ready for his interview with one Ms. Amari.

 

The Dragon Flight Dance Studio looks fancier than anything Zenyatta has ever seen in his life, and the young yoga expert feels intimidated -he suddenly wishes Mondatta was here, but his big brother is busy finalizing the last of their paperwork.

Taking a big breath, he steels himself and presses the intercom. The glass doors slide open with a buzz and a cheerful-looking lady greets him.

"Hi! I'm Fareeha." She introduces herself, extending a hand. "You're Zenyatta, right?"

"Y-yes ma'am." He stammers out, nerves still very wound up.

"Oh, no need for any of that with me, the 'ma'am' here is my mother!" Fareeha assures with a laugh, clapping him on the shoulder with a surprisingly strong hand. "Come, let's get you comfy. Are you too hot? Do you want anything to drink?"

"Um, I'm good, thank you..." slowly but surely, Fareeha's friendly and caring nature relaxes Zenyatta back into his usual self, and he takes the time to observe her as they wait for Ana. They have similar skin tones, much to his amusement, and Fareeha has a tattoo on her cheekbone, underneath her eye –Zenyatta wonders how much the small Egyptian symbol hurt to get, so close to her eyeball and then studies the rest of her. She's undoubtedly very attractive, with her perfect curves and the jingly top, but it doesn't intimidate Zen like it happened a couple times with some distractingly shirtless tourists back at the monastery. Well, Mondatta did tell him that some people are only attracted to specific types, way back when they had the most embarrassing talk of his life.

Surprisingly, Fareeha's jingly top does come up in the conversation, and Zenyatta learns that she's a bellydance teacher and a class just ended, hence the attire. They converse about the Studio and the various disciplines until Ana arrives.

Ana Amari is every bit as lovely as her daughter, black hair just barely starting to grey and very much looking like the source of Fareeha’s own beauty; and Zenyatta doesn't even feel like he's being interviewed for a job… whether it's the place or the welcoming aura coming from both Amaris, he finds himself laughing and telling his own stories as if they'd been friends for years.

"...and that's how I started practicing with the silks, too. I’ll never look at circus acts the same way."

Ana lets her giggles die down, before sighing happily and fixing her gaze on Zen.

"Well, Zenyatta, I've heard more than enough." She says, standing up and extending a hand, "I think you'd be a great fit here, and would like to formally offer you the position."

He'd almost forgot he was supposed to try and make a good impression. Apparently he did regardless. “Really? That would be wonderful.” It really would be. Zenyatta only had a brief glimpse of the Studio’s rooms, but the overall vibe of the place was so pleasant and the students he passed on his way in were absolutely beaming.

“Great! Then it’s decided!” Ana announces, clapping both hands on her hips. “Will you be ok to start this Monday?” at Zenyatta’s nod, she smiles warmly and continues, “Fantastic! Feel free to hang around some more, get acquainted with the space and the rest of our staff. Fareeha, would you mind showing him around?”

“Not at all, tribal doesn’t start until after lunch.”

And that’s how Zenyatta ends up touring the many training rooms to meet the other instructors.

Satya seems cold and aloof at first, but she softens noticeably when her boyfriend, Hanzo, comes close. The Japanese man looks just barely younger than Mondatta, with a clean shaven face and a rather drastic looking undercut, and is massaging his own shoulder tiredly.

“Stop being a baby, Hanzo. I know your stamina is better than this.” The hoop teacher says, while he shakes his head. “Come meet the new yoga instructor.”

“Sure.” He breathes, “It’s not like I had another class before this and another one after this. You really need an assistant, Satya.”

“Why would I need one when I have you?”

“Ah, so you’re only dating me for my aerial skills?!” Hanzo jokingly accuses, before extending a hand to Zenyatta in greeting, “Hello. I’m Hanzo Shimada, and this slave-driver here is Satya Vaswani. Don’t be fooled, she can actually be nice when she wants.”

Said slave-driver shakes her head. “Please. If anything, it’s the other way around.” She retorts affectionately, waiting for the yoga teacher to introduce himself.

“I’m Zenyatta. Nice to meet you both.”  Zen returns Hanzo’s handshake enthusiastically and offers his hand for Satya to take, only for her to turn suddenly bashful.

“I— I don’t do handshakes. Or hugs. Just…” well, she obviously likes her space. Zenyatta nods and assures her it’s not a problem at all, but it does make him wonder; and his eyes move to Hanzo before he can help it. The other instructor just smiles softly and barely grazes his girlfriend’s bicep as what seems to be a gesture of comfort between them.

Satya probably needs to set her own pace in her interactions with people, tactile or not. Zenyatta can respect that.

“—I’ll see you later then. So, Zenyatta, do you want to come with me?” catching the tail end of Hanzo’s words upon hearing his name, the young Tekhartha hums curiously. “Where to?”

“I’m not primarily a hoop instructor. I teach pole fitness with my brother Genji.” The man explains, “Want to come meet him? You can watch the class, if you so wish.”

“Would you really take him, Hanzo?” Fareeha is grateful –it’s not long until tribal class, and if Zen follows Hanzo she can have at least some lunch before it starts.

“It’d be my pleasure.” The aerialist says, and at Zenyatta’s nod he starts leading the way.

As they walk, Zen can’t help but feel a bit more self-conscious at Hanzo’s side –fresh out of hoop practice, the Japanese man is shirtless and only wearing knee-length black yoga pants, showing off a nicely muscular physique and an impressive dragon sleeve tattoo to go with the handsome face. The yoga teacher bites his lips, chastising himself for checking out a taken man, but eventually manages to get his wandering eyes off Hanzo.

The Exotic Pole Dance room is just like any other gym practice room, wooden floors, mirrors and the Studio’s logo above them on the far wall, with the sole exception of the eight poles widely spaced throughout. Class hasn’t started yet, but music is already blaring loud and there is a person inside.

The lone figure is on the floor, sinuously waving heeled feet in the air as the music slowly builds up –at first glance, the blood red transparent high heels made Zenyatta think it was a woman, but following those long legs upwards... that’s _definitely_ a man, in what seems to be extremely skimpy dark green shorts, knee guards, a black mask covering the lower half of his face and… not much else. The pole dancer stands up, grabs the pole and tosses his head to one side in time with the beat, before putting his other hand up as well and pushing with his shoulder to raise both legs in a straddle.

He quickly snaps them back down, stepping out with one leg to describe a semi-circle and then going in a full body wave, to then drop down in a perfect split. Zenyatta feels his jaw drop, and it only stays that way when the stranger goes into a hand stand with one hand on the pole, that gets turned into a straddle seat mid-air. Then the beat gets faster, and the crazier things start happening.

The pole dancer makes a wide spin in a twisted grip before going into full handspring, and Zenyatta can fully appreciate the massive green dragon tattoo on his well-defined back. It’s very similar to Hanzo’s, so he can only deduce this is the Genji the Japanese aerialist was telling him about. A quick glance at said man tells Zenyatta that Hanzo doesn’t wish to interrupt Genji’s practice, and is instead carefully observing his brother’s moves, with his arms crossed and a focused face.

Then Genji did a cartwheel mid-air using only the pole as a support and Zenyatta’s heart did a weird flip-flop in his chest. Back when he hit puberty and had to have that one embarrassing heart-to-heart with Mondatta, Zen wasn’t even sure he understood the hows and whys of physical attraction, and was momentarily envious of his older brother for not having to bother with any of that.

But here, watching this gorgeous creature jump and dance so beautifully around the steel pole… the young Tekhartha feels like anyone not able to watch it and feel the pull of the dancer’s undeniable sex appeal would be missing out. Genji’s second handstand turns into a frontflip and the dancer lands brusquely in a kneeling position, legs slightly open and body bouncing the tiniest bit to the music’s tempo and _oh._

Zenyatta can almost feel the blood instantly leave his brain and pool in his groin. He had never really understood the full weight of Mondatta’s words, until now.

 _“You see, Zen, everyone is different.”_ He had said, _“Some people are attracted to women, some people are attracted to men, some find sexual attraction in  both, some others in neither…”_ he briefly pointed at himself at that, _“Of course, that’s a simplified way to put it, as sometimes you’re only sexually attracted to someone if there’s also an emotional connection, and some other times that doesn’t happen until you meet someone who really has an impact on you… the important thing you need to know is that there is nothing wrong with you. You are just growing up, and these new strange urges are your body’s way of telling you that.”_

And right now, his body is telling him that Genji Shimada is the living embodiment of sex on legs.

The dancer keeps spinning around the pole, mixing acrobatics with floorwork and more than once showing off either his dragon tattoo or his toned behind to his impromptu audience, and Zenyatta feels his breath hitch when, turning a pirouette into a drop-split, Genji looks right at him for the first time. He doesn’t stop dancing, but Zenyatta feels rooted in place instead. Every single one of the pole dancer’s moves had the young yoga teacher staring, from the handstand-split, to the round kicks and floorwork, all the way to the impressive lifts and drops.

For the finale, Genji hangs from the pole upside down while keeping both hands behind his back, shamelessly and gracefully opening his legs in a wide fan, before letting go of one hand and flipping right side up as a result, not once faltering in his confidence despite the apparent suddenness of the drop.

He then snaps his legs down, landing swiftly, makes a half pirouette to get some distance between himself and the pole and just drops down, ‘crumbling’ just as the final beat goes out.

Hanzo slow claps for his brother with a laugh. “That was amazing, Genji, but we’re going to have to tone it down for the class. No one in level three can to the twisted handspring yet.” He comments, grabbing what looks like a towel off the small, square table in the corner and tossing it at the other dancer.

“Hm.” Genji catches the rag without missing a beat, wiping at his neck for a moment before using the cloth to roughly wipe the pole up and down. Zenyatta didn’t think he’d wish to be a pole, when he walked through the Studio’s doors, but here he is. “We can switch it with the open cradle, or the Jamila.” The pole dancer says, brushing a hand through his jet black hair as finally looks at Zenyatta fully, coming close to the pair –and making Zen feel disconcertingly small, compared to the tall and well-built Japanese man standing on 8 inch heels to boot. “Who’s the new guy?”

“This is Zenyatta, he’s going to be the aerial yoga and silks teacher starting on Monday.” Hanzo provides, offering a reassuring pat behind Zen’s back. “Zenyatta, this is my younger brother Genji.”

“Yo. I’m Genji.” Just as Zen was about to offer a greeting, Genji yanks out his black cotton mask, revealing a rather nasty looking scar marring the lower right side of his face –not that it makes him any less beautiful to the young Tekhartha’s awestruck gaze. Genji has hazel eyes, he notes, now that they’re up close, the same defined eyebrows as his brother and a sharp jawline that Zenyatta feels the urge to lean up and bite.

He manages to squash down the impulse, but he has no control or filter over his words, when he opens his mouth to introduce himself: “You’re… you’re beautiful.”

For some reason, the younger Shimada’s friendly demeanour immediately evaporates, and Zenyatta can almost swear he sees his skin visibly harden. “You don’t’ mean that.” He says brusquely, mask just barely muffling his voice now that it’s back in place.

In that lone, brief exchange, Zenyatta understands a lot of things. Firstly, something happened –obviously– to scar Genji’s face the way it is and it’s clearly still weighing heavily on the dancer’s heart, as well as Hanzo, if the older Shimada’s suddenly tense stance is any indication. Secondly, these two brothers are very close; Hanzo is quick at his brother’s side as soon as he perceives the distress in Genji, and he reminds Zen slightly of Mondatta in that aspect.

It makes him smile.

Third, Genji’s greeting was a test, he showed his face immediately and suddenly, which means that he has come across people having disproportionate reactions to his scar before and wanted to see Zenyatta’s.

He doesn’t know whether he passed or failed, but he does know one thing: he has a _gargantuan_ crush on Genji Shimada.

It takes him a second to find his words again. “I really do, actually.” Zenyatta says, halfway through what sounded like Hanzo telling his younger brother to not be an ass in hushed Japanese words, “Your dancing is impressive, and you do look really stunning.”

Genji’s eyes dart to the side and Hanzo elbows him slightly in the ribs, whispering something in Japanese to him again. «Come on, sparrow, have you ever seen anything so pure?»

«Shut up. How old even is he?»

Hanzo can’t help but tease his brother a little. «Hopefully old enough.»

The younger Shimada seems to study Zen for a second, and the pole dancer’s intense gaze almost makes Zen want to fidget, but he holds the stare and smiles. Genji turns to his brother again, and Hanzo nods at him, as if to prompt _him_ to speak. If the dramatic eyeroll is any clue, Genji has given in when he does speak to Zenyatta.

“Exotic class starts in ten minutes. Do you want to watch?”

“Yes.” Zenyatta doesn’t know what’s more embarrassing, the speed with which he answered or the breathy, dreamy sound that escaped his lips as an affirmative.

Is this real life? Love –or, at the very least lust – at first sight?

…Mondatta is going to make so much fun of him.


	2. How they fell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes by. People drift around and towards each other.  
> Zenyatta is a mess, but it's okay because so is Genji.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT THIS KICKED MY ASS.
> 
> It's incredibly hard to concentrate several months of things in one chapter and this is more than twice the length of my usual chapters.  
> Life also kicked my ass in general and I legit wrote all of this in the small bouts of times I'd get on the tube on the way to and back from work.  
> So I apologise if there are small inconsistencies here and there, I'll try and fix them in the next few days, now that I can look at the whole think and not scattered txt files.
> 
> I've also been experimenting, splitting chapter chunks in "set pieces" with notable "time-skips". Apologies if it's weird to read, I'm trying something very new for me and don't really know whether it works or not.  
> Some performances are also glissed over because otherwise it'd be way too long, but for the ones that I did describe I've put reference at the end, as usual.

 

"You should have seen him, brother, he's just—ugh, he's _perfect_!" Mondatta has given up on trying to conceal his amusement while his little brother paces around the room, running both hands on his face, "He's got this one scar on one side of his face, but _oh God_ it only makes him more handsome. And his ass –don't even let me get started on _that_!"

That last part finally breaks Mondatta into full-blown laughter. "Please don't get started on that."

It's a rare loss of cool for Zenyatta, usually coming off as level-headed and tranquil, much more mature that what anyone would expect from his age, as a result of both his hard childhood and the monks' teachings. Seeing his baby brother lose his shit completely, over a boy he likes of all things, makes Mondatta smile –this is actually living. Experiencing new things that throw you off-balance and force you to grow and evolve.

"What do I do, Mondatta? Day one and I'm already crushing on a co-worker!"

The elder Tekhartha tries to rein in any further chuckles. "You could try talking to him." He offers placidly, "I hear that's a thing humans do sometimes."

That earns him a flat glare. "Oh, ha ha." Zenyatta deadpans. "He probably doesn't even like me, and mistook my blatant ogling for staring at his scar."

"You could try telling him. Excuse me, I just want you to know I wasn't staring at your scar and I respect your need to be reserved about it, I was just shamelessly checking you out because I'd like to sleep with you, repeatedly if possible." Mondatta's voice is calm and impassive, only breaking at the very end. "I'm sure it would go splendidly."

The glaring returns for a moment, before the younger of the two slaps both hands on his face and mumbles something into them. Standing up from the small couch, Mondatta step forward to reassuringly hold Zen by the shoulders. "What was that?"

With a bit more coaxing, Zenyatta removes the hands, only to hide his face in his brother's chest.

"I'm not sure I just want to sleep with him." He mumbles, still low but audible this time. "...what if he really hates me?"

It's all it takes to make Mondatta hug him tight. "Oh, blessed one." He sighs, rubbing soothing circles on Zenyatta's back. "He will adore you the very moment he gets a chance to know you." He assures, feeling Zenyatta finally relax a bit. "The brother sounds nice too. You could try getting to know him as well? Maybe he will tell you some more about your crush?"

"Maybe." Zen hums, "They seem very close."

"Closer than you and I?"

"No one is closer than us." The reply is instant, and yet. The way Hanzo was at his brother's side at the first sign of discomfort, the way the two spoke volumes to each other with only a glance... it was very familiar. Not only Genji and Hanzo are very close, they probably had just as hard a past as Mondatta and himself.

"...will you come see me at work?"

The elder Tekhartha wonders whether Zenyatta knows that no one would ever deny him anything when he speaks in that tone and with those puppy dog eyes. "As soon as I'm able, brother."

 

Working at the Dragon Flight dance Studio comes surprisingly naturally to him. The beginners are enthusiastic and the ones Ana had been a temporary teacher for warm up to him just as fast. More than one lady openly coos at how cute he is, so young and already a teacher, and he takes the praise with a smile and a respectful bow.

On his way to the break room, he runs into the Shimada brothers again. "Oh. Hello." He greets them both, trying to avoid staring at Genji too much, but it proves unavoidable when the two seem to have a silent conversation that ends with Hanzo smacking Genji upside the head. Zenyatta can't stop the giggle before it bubbles out of him.

It makes Genji's stare fixate on him, but the pole dancer's expression softens when he speaks. "I apologize for being callous to you the other day." He says, sounding just slightly appalled at having to say it out loud but sincere nonetheless. "You were just being thrust in a new place and my behaviour wasn't fair to you."

Zenyatta can only hope he's not visibly beaming, and he instinctively pats Genji's arm. "I appreciate that." He says, dropping his hand when he feels the dancer's bicep flinch minutely and trying not to think about how little it would take for Genji to flip him over and pin him to the floor. "But it's okay, you don't have to explain your reasons for not wanting to get cozy with a stranger."

His words make Hanzo blinks with a surprised expression.

"How old did you say you were?"

"I turned 18 last month." Zen answers, only slightly bashful. He sees Genji raise an eyebrow but it's difficult to interpret his reaction with the black cotton mask covering the rest of his face -Hanzo, on the other hand, is much easier to read... it seems the Shimada brothers have very expressive faces.

"You speak beyond your age." Hanzo is impressed. For some reason, it pulls a shy smile out of Zenyatta -the elder Shimada doesn't strike him as someone easily impressed.

"Well... I didn't have the easiest time growing up." He admits with a shrug, "The sooner the better, and all that."

Hanzo's expression softens into one of understanding and Zenyatta knows –he's right about Genji's scar concealing something terrible that must have happened to them both. "Yes. I might have heard that before." He sighs, "Well. Happy to have you on board. We will have to get you to join us next time we go out, welcome you properly to the family."

"You're too kind to me, thank you."

"Hardly." The aerialist almost scoffs, "It's basic human decency. Some of the people here, they're the real angels."

The somewhat far-off look Hanzo's face seems to take almost distracts Zen from the moment Genji dramatically rolls his eyes and finally graces the conversation with his input: "Okay, that's enough..." he says, tone exasperated as if it's a regular occurrence, clasping both hands on his brother's shoulders and ushering him out of the room, "Let's stop before you start openly gushing about your girlfriend. I swear, anija, you're so gross."

Zenyatta hides a chuckle behind his hand, "It was nice seeing you again."

Genji dismisses the goodbye with a "Yeah, yeah" and drags a chuckling Hanzo out of the room.

 

Zenyatta acclimates to the Studio well enough, true to Hanzo's words; the people working here are all kind and nice in their own way, and they have fantastic synergy. Even Genji, as brooding and standoffish as he seems, is capable of joking around with a select few, even taking the initiative to be a pest if his brother is involved.

But somehow, he hasn't quite warmed up to him yet. Which makes today's aerial yoga class very awkward. It's Zenyatta's first fully booked class, with sixteen people to care for and Ana unavailable due to the preparation for an event in a place they apparently perform at. The Studio owner guaranteed him that she'd send the second best person available on silk... and Zenyatta was surprised to find that it's Genji.

Even more surprising is how calm and gentle the dancer is through the whole thing –like a true professional, he attends to the students and supports Zenyatta, never once interfering with his methods but always ready to provide any and all help needed. Some of the students do ask why his face his covered, but the dancer regards them with a soft look that hints at a smile behind the black cotton, giving vague answers that span from "it's just a cold" to "isn't it obvious? I am a ninja".

By the end of the class they're saying goodbye to the students and Zen was almost starting to think Genji had finally relaxed around him, only for the man's demeanour to do a complete 180.

"So. You must be pretty curious. Why haven't you asked?" His tone isn't cold per se, but his voice has an abrupt quality to it that betrays a degree of discomfort.

Zenyatta shrugs. "I'm not interested in asking questions that cause distress." He says, offering a smile, "It's _you_ I want to get to know... all of you. Details can wait."

Instead of being satisfied that Zen is willing to drop it, Genji bristles, temper flaring up unexpectedly.

"Oh _please_." His voice is low and even, but sharpened to the point of danger and mirrored by the intensity in his eyes, as he turns to face Zenyatta. "I've seen you look at me. Still wanting to fuck me despite my disfigurement _doesn't_ make you a better person." He snaps, fists clenching, "It just makes me all the more empty. A piece of ass not even worthy of being looked at in the eye."

The dancer would have probably continued –for an irrational moment, Zenyatta was scared Genji was actually going to hit him, but Hanzo has entered the room while his little brother was talking, neither of the other two noticing until the elder Shimada grabs his brother by the arm.

"Genji! What the hell?!" He asks, worried gaze briefly flickering to Zenyatta before returning to its primary target, "That was excessive, even for you—"

«Don't fucking touch me!» Genji shrugs off his brother's hold harshly and stalks out of the break room, swearing in Japanese and leaving a positively shaken Zenyatta with a sighing Hanzo.

Silence stretches between them for a moment, before Hanzo directs his eyes at Zen.

Instead of contempt, the young yoga teacher finds sadness and fatigue in them. "I should probably go after him." The pole dancer says, briefly closing his eyes as if bracing for a daunting task, before sending a gentle glance to Zen. "He doesn't really mean that." He says, attempting a smile, "The, uh... _accident_ left him bitter in more ways than one; and he has a hard time understanding when people are genuinely nice. He'll come around if you give him a little time." Zenyatta nods dejectedly -he wasn't expecting to fuck it up so bad within a few moments of talking, but Hanzo has one final piece of advice, it seems:

"If I may, Zenyatta?"

The younger of the two finally looks up. "Yes, Hanzo?"

" _Don't_ take any of his shit."

Hanzo is out of the room with a wink before Zenyatta can even ask, but the movement does make him notice the thin long scar on the elder Shimada's retreating back. Less aesthetically damning, but hinting at something terrible just as well.

And the advice suddenly makes sense.

 

Things change after that. The next day, after his class, he pointedly joins Hanzo and Satya for a tea break, only briefly glancing in Genji's direction. "I'd say hello to you too, but I'm refraining, on the off-chance you think I would just be pretending to be nice because I either pity you or want to sleep with you."

Hanzo nearly chokes on his tea, while Satya pauses visibly mid-sip, eyebrows shooting up. Genji's face, mask-less as it was for the food break, is priceless.

His eyes are impossibly wide, lips slightly parted and jaw rigid as if he's barely restraining himself from murder –but he doesn't just look angry, no. He's shocked that Zen would actually have the balls to make fun of him.

Fighting the urge to actually feel good about catching Genji off guard, Zenyatta placidly turns on the kettle to make his own tea.

"You— what—" Genji stumbles over his English and through a few Japanese expletives, "How fucking dare you make light of something you know nothing about?!"

"I'm sorry, I had no idea your bleeding heart was so fragile, I'll make sure to wear my ballerina shoes next time so I can tip toe around you." By now, Hanzo is openly gaping at the two, wondering where was this sweet little boy hiding all that sass until now.

It's absolutely precious.

"You have _no idea_ what I've been through!"

"You want to make it a contest, hot stuff?" In the week or so Zenyatta has been here, it's the first time he ever raises his voice. "You try being born in the poor parts of Nepal, barely surviving that; and actually not knowing whether you'll live for the next meal or not until monks take you in. _Then_ you can be offended at me for making light of your _oh-so-hard_ life." He hisses, the bite in his tone surprising even himself, "Oh _boo hoo_ , my perfect face has a blemish on it, I'm only left with my perfect body, my amazing talent and my brother that still loves me despite me being a pissy little _bitch_."

At this point, even Satya has one hand in front of her mouth.

Zenyatta doesn't seem to be done, but he does visibly deflate in regret. "I didn't mean to belittle you." He says, eyes softening. "And I don't mind if you're an ass to me. I can't force you to like me, not even if I would _very much_ like to know you better." He actually has to avert his eyes from Genji to hide a blush at that. "It's true, I have no idea what your life has been like, but I have no way of finding out if you don't let that leash a little bit loose. In the meantime, you _could_ stand to be a little nicer to your older brother. He does love you very much."

Genji is still speechless as Zenyatta gathers his cup and turns so he can face all of them.

"Sorry for ruining your break."

When he leaves the room, Genji is still doing a very convincing impression of a blowfish.

"...what just happened?"

Satya actually sounds deadpan serious and her words have a questioning lilt to them: "The new guy called you out on your angsty bullshit?"

Hanzo suppresses a snort and mutters something that sounds suspiciously like "I love it when you're bitchy", before addressing his own brother as well: "That, and you made an ass of yourself, again."

Genji is unsurprisingly indignant. "Me?! Anija, please... you can't seriously have fallen for the doe eyes and cutesy little brother look?!"

"I always fall for cutesy little brothers." The retort is immediate and does prompt a spark of affection in the younger Shimada. "Also, I really do not think Zenyatta is like all the other people. You should have seen him on his first day, he was genuinely mesmerized."

Suddenly self-conscious, Genji does run a hand across his scar before putting the mask back in place.

Satya is the one to eventually break the silence: "I think you should give him a chance." She says, pausing with her tea cradled in her hands, "He's been nothing but lovely to me and everyone I've seen... and he wasted no time in making it clear that he couldn't give any less shits about what happened to your face."

There's also Zenyatta's disarming honesty in admitting his attraction to Genji as a person, and not just his body like the dancer was so convinced.

Eventually, he slumps down by Hanzo's side. "What do you think of him, brother?"

"I think that someone shallow who just wants to get into your pants wouldn't sass you like he just did. He seemed genuinely upset." Hanzo's reply is fast enough to betray that he expected the question. "I mean, _wow_... I did tell him not to take any of your shit, but that was _masterful_."

That earns him a bump on the shoulder. "Shut up. I hate you." And yet Genji's tone is nothing if not affectionate, and just like that the conversation is over. "...are we still doing paso doble for the floorwork on performance night?"

His older brother shrugs. "I don't mind." He assures, before taking on a slightly mischievous tone. "You're the one who wants to impress Reyes, anyway."

"No I don't!" Even with the mask, Hanzo knows his baby brother well enough to know he's blushing. "I'm just open to creative floorwork, unlike your boring ass."

" _Sure_ , sparrow."

"I'm also starting to think that he and the other head of security are an item."

Hanzo can only shake his head, while Satya chuckles quietly and takes her leave, not before whispering a "you two are adorable" in her boyfriend's ear –the pole teacher brushes the tips of her fingers with his own as she gets up, but lets her go have her relaxation in favor of focusing on his little brother.

"Okay, not that I want to feed your daddy-crush any more..." he starts, receiving a glare but with no other interruptions, "But not every two attractive men who work together have to be a couple."

Genji just crosses his arms. "Name _one_ example."

Hanzo's hands suspend mid-gesture as he actually stops to think about it. "...us?"

Maybe not the best example, but it does succeed in brightening Genji's mood, judging by how he practically doubles over with laughter. "Hanzo, we're _brothers_!"

"What, you're saying that if we weren't related you wouldn't date me?" The older jokingly protests, frowning dramatically for emphasis, "I'm _hurt_."

Genji only laughs harder.

 

Oddly enough, the discovery that underneath the serene demeanour and gentle surface there's a temper, and quite a fiery one at that, ends up getting Genji to view the newest addition to the Studio in a different light.

Performance night goes off without a hitch, even though for all intents and purposes the very attractive head of security is nothing if not fatherly in congratulating Genji for his paso doble skills.

"I'll be damned, kid." Reyes praises with a hearty clap on Genji's bared shoulder, "Hadn't seen something like that since... hell, since last time I went dancing and was your age."

The compliment still makes the dancer bite his lower lip to conceal the smile, and he excuses himself before anyone can see that Genji 'Cyborg Ninja' Shimada can blush.

Maybe Hanzo is right, this whole thing is a little ridiculous.

Approaching the bar, Genji notices his brother –still in his stage clothes as well– sitting and chatting amicably with Zenyatta, while they watch Satya perform on the hoop –the newest addition to the team having been brought especially to observe and learn how performances are carried out, dutifully chaperoned considering he’s technically underage in some states. Hanzo seems to really have taken a shine to the new kid, for some reason, and given his brother's nature –even less trusting than his own– Genji figures he might as well give the yoga teacher a chance.

At least a fair chance to get to know each other, considering they'll at least have to work together and be civil.

"Yo." He greets effortlessly, plopping himself in the stool next to Hanzo and starting to undo the ties on his stage mask to let his face breathe.

His brother regards him with a smirk. "Done embarrassing yourself?"

Knowing fully well what the question is referring to, Genji just shoots him a half-hearted glare. "Hey, fuck you, ok? There's nothing wrong with looking up to an older man." He argues, "I'd think you of all people would be happy that I have a role model."

"Generally speaking, one usually doesn't wish to bang said role model."

Genji's retort dies in his throat when he hears Zenyatta giggle.

"Something funny, twigs?"

"Not really." The youngest of the three says, stifling the rest of his laughter with a graceful hand in front of his mouth. "It's just nice to know that apparent perfection actually has _some_ weaknesses."

Also, Zenyatta refrains from pointing out, it's hilarious how massive of a hypocrite Genji has been, giving him shit for thinking he's attractive while the Cyborg Ninja himself also has a puppy love crush on a much older man. He probably doesn't even need to, the look Hanzo is giving his brother pretty much spells it out for all of them.

Zenyatta ponders whether to go for the kill or not. Oh, hell. Hanzo _did_ tell him not to go easy on Genji.

He scoots closer to the dancer, making a show of giving Reyes a good once-over from afar. "For what it's worth... I get where you're coming from." He says, tone soft and understanding to the point of being too much to be genuine, "If it had to happen, I _would_ very much sit on his lap and call him 'daddy'."

Genji's face whips to the side and his expression is nineteen kinds of horrified as he stares at Zenyatta, absolutely dumbfounded. "I'm just saying, he wouldn't be a bad second choice." The yoga teacher adds, seemingly dead serious and perfectly calm.

"Well, there's a conversation I _don't need_ to hear." Hanzo is barely restraining from howling with laughter as is; and decides to make himself scarce, "I'm going backstage to help Satya with the cooldown."

There's a beat of silence between the remaining two, during which Genji realizes that his brother left him at the bar with Zenyatta, who's under 20, which means he'll have to chaperone him until Hanzo returns.

"...goddamn it, anija." He breathes out, shaking his head. He lets the silence drag a couple more seconds, before exhaling slowly and looking back at Zen. "Okay look. This whole thing started off on the wrong foot." He says, "It's just... I'm not used to people not wanting something from me after the incident. Hell, before that even. I can't promise I'll be all sunshine and rainbows, because despite what my brother says I'm not a nice person, but you know... I will try my best to be less of an ass. Truce?"

Zenyatta allows himself an inner cheer for the small victory. “Truce.” He confirms, smiling his warmest smile for a man who is so hell-bent to think he didn’t need it or deserve it, and for the first time Genji _really_ looks at him.

Such a young, pure soul, born in a place of hardship but despite it all still seeing the light and beauty in everything, even someone like Genji himself –disfigured and still slightly bitter about it as he is – and goddamn it all it frustrates the hell out of the pole dancer.

All his life, he was a shallow person, surrounded by just as shallow people. The minute he lost his pretty face, he also lost most of his so-called friends. Those who would still find him attractive for his body never missed a chance to make such attraction feel demeaning, as if he was just flavour text around an object to be used… and then, there comes this _boy_ , barely a step in adulthood, that looks at him like he’s something majestic, openly gaping and looking at him dead in the eye as he called Genji beautiful.

Genji is thinking so much he hasn’t realized he’s staring, let alone that he’s staring at Zenyatta’s plush lips as they remain still slightly curled up when he speaks, startling the dancer out of his daze:

“My eyes are up here, Cyborg Ninja.”

Embarrassed at being caught, Genji instantly reverts to asshole. “Shut up.”

They spend the rest of the evening toeing the fine line between bickering and flirting.

 

It becomes clear that they’re shamelessly flirting on the day Hanzo goes to the Studio a bit earlier to start preparing a themed choreography with Hana, his prodigy fifteen year-old pupil, and Genji shows up one hour later making everyone nearly have a heart attack with the text he sends his brother: «Come out quick!» with no explanation.

Hanzo all but runs to the front door, and doesn’t know whether to hug or punch his brother when he finds Genji perfectly fine, perched on top of a bright green motorcycle with dark violet accents.

“Happy birthday, anija!!!”

“Oh you asshole, I thought something bad happened to you.” The elder Shimada can’t quite help the words tumbling out of his mouth, but he does breathe a sigh of relief before giving the motorcycle an appraising look.

For his part, Genji just hops off and shakes his out his hair once it’s out of the helmet. “Do you like it?”

“That… is the tackiest, loudest, most over the top color for a vehicle I’ve ever seen.” Hanzo’s word make his younger brother’s face fall, but just for a second, before he adds: “…I love it. You shouldn’t have, sparrow.”

Fareeha makes an actual “aww” sound, having run by Hanzo’s side when she caught him rushing worriedly through reception, and even Zenyatta, who was setting up the yoga room at the time, poked his head near the entrance to watch the exchange.

Genji shrugs. “We couldn’t do anything epic for your big 30, so 31 will have to do.”

“You didn’t buy it with the prize money from your Exotic competition, did you?” the somewhat sheepish silence is answer enough. “…you did. What did I tell you about neglecting yourself for me?”

“Pot, kettle, black.” The dancer answers, sticking his tongue out. “You also said that money was mine to use as I pleased. I also expect you to let me borrow this beauty every once in a while.”

“You’re impossible.”

“You love me.”

“Touché.”

In the end, it’s Miss Amari the force to put an end to the banter: “Okay boys, that’s enough, we have a gym to open up and run.” She announces, clapping her hands twice, “Take some selfies with the monstrosity and let’s head back inside.”

As they pass the youngest addition to the Studio, Zenyatta falls into step with them.

“I didn’t know it was your birthday, Hanzo.”

The pole teacher does a half-shrug. “I don’t like to make a big show of it.”

“Oh. In that case…” Zen motions for Hanzo to lean towards him as if he had a big secret, before whispering: “Happy birthday.” and then making the universal shush motion with a cheeky smile.

Which obviously, has Genji feeling like he wants to punch something if only to lower the levels of adorableness in the air. He pinches, instead of punching, lightly and on the younger instructor’s shoulder.

“Stop trying to act cute.” He says, making a show of rolling his eyes, “It’s too early for these levels of cuteness. We’re all going to get diabetes and it’ll be your fault. Scram.” The words seem hostile, but the tone in his voice is lighter and more humorous than it was in the past weeks.

For his part, Zenyatta doesn't even dignify that with a retort, and instead ramps up the adorableness, mock-saluting Genji and going "Sir yes, sir!" like a good little soldier; all but floating away on light feet and lean little legs.

Genji would be lying if he said his gaze didn't linger on those.

By his side, Hanzo nudged him with his shoulder. "I saw that."

"You saw nothing."

"Really? It looked like someone is finally paying attention, to me."

"Anija please, he's barely an adult."

"Keyword being 'adult'."

Annoying as the back and forth is, it does put a smile on Genji's masked face.

"I'm still not used to this, you know?" He says, not so discreetly changing the topic but relieved when Hanzo lets him. "You, being any fun."

The older brother chuckles affectionately. "I should hit you for that." He ruffles Genji's hair instead. "But you just gave me a motorcycle for my birthday, so let's go turn the speakers on and welcome all the ladies who will hopelessly try to charm the King of Exotic Dance."

And oh boy there are many of those. They just got the Studio's website done and connected to social media pages –Facebook is getting pretty big, and this new Instagram thing is also becoming a way of getting yourself out there fast– so Ana asked all the instructors to take a few pictures and have a small bio done... Needless to say, pictures of Genji in various poses around the pole attracted many new clients, sometimes for the wrong reasons. But many of them seem to be sticking around despite Genji making it very obvious which way he swings, so that's a plus at least.

Genji pretends he doesn't go take a look at the page on purpose the day after Fareeha offhandedly mentions taking Zenyatta for his photoshoot; just as much as Zenyatta pretends he has it open to show his brother the people he works with.

 

Mondatta, obviously, singles him out in a nanosecond even from his position on the bed behind Zenyatta; and he points at the laptop. "Is that him?"

Granted, there were only two Japanese instructors in the Studio, but both of them were wearing ninja mask in the gallery, as a play on their stage personas.

Zenyatta knows better than to ask how -and his brother tells anyway; "He fits the whole tall, dark and handsome  thing you've been going so crazy about." He teases affectionately, "Plus, despite the pretty doll facade he's put on for the camera, there's a great deal of disquiet in his eyes and soul."

Hanzo's eyes have a similar depth, but it's less anger and more sadness. Guilt even. Genji has the eyes of a man pissed at the whole world, and Zen told his brother this, some few days back as he was raving once again about how unfair it was for the Cyborg Ninja to be so beautiful and yet so guarded and 'oh God, Mondatta, I want to fix him so bad'.

Mondatta lets a brief silence stretch over the room, before he makes a clarification: "Yes, I meant to say that his emo bullshit is so strong it bleeds through pictures." Despite being a jab at his crush, the words make Zenyatta throw his head back in laughter. "He's going to need a whole lot of fixing, Zenny."

"Hopefully he'll let me. He has been warming up to me some. Hanzo explained to me that there's a specific word for the attitude Genji is going through, in Japanese."

"How very informative, one unique word to encompass _'insecure bitchy jackass'_?"

"I made the same comment." The young yoga teacher stifles his giggles, "Hanzo said it's not quite a literal transaction for _tsundere_ , but it's close enough."

Mondatta beams. "I _have_ to meet him. We can bond over our hellish younger siblings and drink tea as we despair at your antics."

"But brother, I am the very picture of innocence!"

The only answer the elder Tekhartha dignifies his baby brother with is a pillow to the face, and it degenerates from there.

It's only after they're sprawled like little children, Mondatta lying across the foot of the bed and Zenyatta lying on his back on the floor but with both legs propped up on the mattress and a pillow snugly hugged to his chest, that Zen actually asks for advice: "Do you really think I can get him to like me?"

Mondatta stretches a hand out to touch his brother's fingers.

"I only know the guy by pictures and your words, so I can't have solid advice for you yet..." he says, fixing an affectionate stare on the lounging figure –for once, Zenyatta is actually looking and acting his age–  "But if you feel for him, and you feel it's something worth pursuing, I'm sure you'll have him charmed in no time."

 

If only Mondatta knew how true his statement rings.

Doctor Angela Ziegler can't say she knew exactly what she was signing up for, when a visibly distressed Japanese man called to ask for information about reconstructive facial surgery for his brother, but what she does know is that it was not this.

"I just— don't understand this guy!" Genji is in her studio for his routine check-up, "I've been a complete ass to him at first, and sure, he called me out on that, but he's still nice to me!" He hasn't been sitting still at all for the examination and Angela is quite frankly done with his bullshit, especially when he spits out the word nice as if it was a curse. "Why is he being sweet to me?"

"Stay still, for crying out loud!" She mercilessly thwacks him on the shoulder, to pin him to the chair. "And _gee, I don't know_ , maybe he likes you? From what you tell me he made it pretty obvious from day one. Get a hint, you moron."

"No, that can't be it. That was just seeing me on the pole, it wasn't—"

"Did he, or did he not, call you 'beautiful' right to your adorable pudding-face?" She almost manages to crack Genji up with the nickname –part of why he likes her so much is exactly this. She doesn't bother to walk on eggshells around him and is not above a few jokes at his expense. Just like Hanzo.

"How? How can he think I'm beautiful? Who could find this face beautiful?"

Then again, Zenyatta hasn’t exactly been tiptoeing around him either. Sure he hasn't asked, and hasn't made unsavoury remarks, but he never really skirted around it –he treats Genji just like any other person, and for some reason it drives the dancer absolutely bonkers.

Considering how much trouble said patient always gave her, Angela is not too secretly enjoying this breakdown of sorts.

"I swear to God, Genji." Angela carries on, only slightly exasperated, "You're so clueless, it's painful to watch. Many people would like your face if you ever bothered to pull it out of your own ass."

"I'm not clueless!" He tries to protest, but the doctor just grabs him by the chin, moving the examination mirror closer.

"Look, Genji." His eyes refuse to rise for a moment. "I said look." He obliges. " _This_ is just a face!" She says, then pointing at the scar. "This is not even a full face! It's _half_ a face –less than that, even. It _doesn't_ define you. It's not your soul."

Hanzo tells him the same, oftentimes, usually when he finds him in the bathroom at night, scowling at himself from behind the sink. It's still reassuring to hear.

"You're right." He eventually mumbles, "I was being difficult again. Sorry."

Angela smiles, moving over to brush a gentle caress over her friend's head. "It's okay. Sorry for snapping at you." She offers in return, moving to the last of her checks to make sure the right corner of Genji's lips hasn't been trying to seal itself shut and quickly finishing up. "So... what was that about this very young and bendy yoga teacher and his massive crush on you?"

"Angela, please..."

"Uh-huh! I'm your physician, you have to tell me everything!" She tuts, not about to let him live it down. "I can provide you the proper tools to be safe, something tested for allergies and--"

Genji blushes crimson, despite himself -the man who could boast conquest well over a dozen by the time he was seventeen, blushing over the idea of a pretty, young thing wanting to have sex with him. Oh, the irony. "Oh my God, Angela, we have barely even talked!"

"All that red tells me you've thought about it~"

"I did not—"

The rest of the visit ends in light hearted banter and warm goodbyes.

 

The shift in habit happens almost naturally, so much so that Genji himself barely even notices when his standoffish remarks turn into flirting. The photographer came into the Studio again, to take pictures of their Exotic Night project. There have been a few performances specific to the genre, but they have yet to officially be a 'thing' at the Watchpoint. The club owner seems in favor, as long as they can make it very clear that no one from the audience is supposed to touch the performers at any time.

Hanzo and Satya are currently taking pictures in the costumes for their next duet, both of them wearing masks, almost Venetian in fashion, and Satya is indeed wearing a big, fluffy and frilly skirt of sorts, voluminous on the back but opening up on the front to leave her legs free; Hanzo only has long black pants, and both their costumes, as well as the masks, are accented on the hems in electric blue.

They make a cute couple, Dragon Ninja and the Aerial Doll. Zenyatta is patiently waiting for his turn, slightly nervous to be part of something as 'daring' as the Exotic Night sounds; and Genji notices him fidget.

Making a show of helping put things away and set others up, Genji deliberately shoves past Zen's side, nudging the younger in the side with his hips.

"Hey!" Despite the protest, Zenyatta's light chuckle is genuine. Genji nudges him again.

The young yoga teacher retaliates by blowing a kiss at him.

"Stop being cute! I'm mean to you and you are cute? Why are you being cute?!"

Zen beckons him closer, as if about to disclose a great secret, but instead as soon as Genji is in range he kisses the other's masked cheek, right where the scar rests underneath, and whispers: "I'm enjoying the way it's driving you insane."

Had it been anyone else, Genji would have probably told them off, but having the almost literal angel-face, whom everyone in the Studio has quickly taken to consider as the precious little baby who can do no wrong, openly admitting mischief to him... it's nothing short of hilarious. It makes Genji throw his head back and laugh –really laugh, like when he is alone with Hanzo watching terrible old movies and nothing outside their rooms matters any more.

"That's how it is, then..." the pole dancer says after recovering, "You're an imp with an angel face."

"You think my face looks like an angel's?"

Shit. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. Zenyatta's tone is light and easy, like he's just following their back and forth's natural progression, but the slight lip bite and the way he adverted his gaze for a moment tells Genji the other is feeling at least a little bashful. It also tells Genji that if he got Zen's expressions catalogued down so precisely, he might have been looking at him a little more than what's considered just friendly.

Damn it, Hanzo has been right all along.

Whatever retort he might have had to that dies in his throat however, because Satya and Hanzo are done with their pictures and it's Zenyatta's turn. The smaller man sheds the big oversized sweater he was wearing to keep warm and, well. Genji would be a liar if he said he didn't linger with his eyes over Zen's slender form, accentuated as it was by the full bodysuit: it’s in a similar colour to Zenyatta’s skin tone, giving off the illusion of not being there at all, but embroidered in deep red motifs all over, coiling in fractals and little curls that stretch over the young aerialist’s entire body.

The photographer asks Zenyatta to climb up and strike one or two figures, and the moment Genji actually cares to watch and pay attention to it has him rooted to the spot. It's a nice reversal from their first meeting, if only Cyborg Ninja had been lucid enough to appreciate the irony. The first figure is a relatively simple, if slightly dangerous hold. Zen climbs the silk, hooks the inside leg, then tosses the lower half over the outside leg in order to be able to flip upside down.

It takes a lot of strength to keep the lower part of the silk taut enough to not slide or even precipitate, but they’ve all seen by now that Zenyatta is a more than capable aerial yoga teacher, and Ana has been seriously considering starting silk classes as well for a while, now.

Genji’s jaw drops when the photographer okays a change of position, and Zenyatta decides to get a bit more creative. He separates the silks, makes safety loops over each foot and then extends into a split. Taking the front strand in both hands, he spins inside the loop over, and over, and over, until his back leg is completely wrapped up in silk and the material is pretty much forcing him to hold the split as he sits there, eyes closed and face in a relaxed smile.

He’s the very picture of tranquility, despite every muscle in his lower body being very much at work right now. The photo session soon ends and Zenyatta serenely glides down from the silk –wasting no time in seeking out Genji’s eyes:

“Admit it.” He prompts, “You thought I was cool.”

Being who he is, Genji immediately crosses his arms and scoffs. “Please. Nothing will ever be cooler than a pole-ninja.”

“I’m not hearing a ‘no’, though…”

They bicker their way out of the practice room, into the changing rooms and out of the Studio, ending up out for tea and snacks together without even really realizing.

 

It becomes somewhat of a habit afterwards. To seek Zenyatta out, to tease and jab at each other to see who would cave first and slip up, letting something flirtatious out in the conversation.

"I think it's cute." Satya comments, as they all prepare in the Watchpoint's backstage for the Exotic Night’s next performance. "Who would've thought, the Cyborg actually has a heart."

It sounds scathing, but it's said affectionately, from one person who doesn't deal with emotions and interactions quite well to another.

"Right? I'm amazed." Hanzo adds, resting his mask on the side of his head, "Now we just need to find one for you, and we're all set."

"Aww anija, but then you'll feel left out." Genji coos, offering a wink in Satya's direction, while his brother shakes his head at them both.

"I'm still waiting on the Wizard to give me a brain first, heart and courage are on the waiting list." He retorts, as if he didn’t just dance a very passionate pole-tango with his girlfriend moments before.

All of them laugh at that, before Genji sobers up briefly:

"Oh we should totally do a Wizard of Oz themed performance!"

"Hmm." his brother ponders, "Isn't that way too many characters?"

"Well Hana's Alice in Wonderland works!" Genji gestures to the stage where the last preparations are being made.

"Yes, and it took us how long to get all the projections and footage down?"

Hana has been very nervous about her performance -understandably, since she's only fifteen. But Zenyatta has seen her in Hanzo's class doing combos and choreography, and even he says she's a downright prodigy.

That, or Hanzo is just that good of a teacher and made her a prodigy in one year.

"Unlikely." The man himself comments, as he sits by him after cooldown. "She did gymnastics from elementary all the way through middle school. It's easy to pick it back up, if you're talented as she is."

Blunt, unabashed praise. Something Hanzo usually reserves for Genji -mostly when his baby brother is not there to hear it. It seems to be a thing for the pole teacher, to manifest his affection for someone when they're not around. Zen muses to himself that despite seeming peaceful and well-adjusted, Hanzo is full of things he doesn't say, focused as he is to make his loved ones happy instead –he doesn't call him out on it, not yet, not since the elder Shimada told him about Hana and Lúcio, a relatively new student in the same intermediate class, who obviously like each other but are too embarrassed to admit it because they're five years and a half apart –not that it stops Lúcio from being Hana’s number one supporter and the one who took care of all the shadow-play in the young girl’s impressive pole choreography.

Zenyatta idly wonders what does that make him, but he never really cared for numbers.

Lúcio is also the voice for the Cheshire cat; and he speaks to ‘Alice’ in a comforting voice after she descended upside down to the bottom of the pole, effect magnified from the scrolling video projected behind her, complete with dissipating “dust” after her landing.

She tumbles and moves around, in perfect sync with all the projections –Zenyatta sees Hanzo bite back a smile when Lúcio’s slightly accented voice says _“You’ll be glad that you found a cat like me.”_

It is all kinds of sweet, and Zen really wouldn’t have pegged the strict pole fitness teacher as a hopeless romantic, but ever since the Watchpoint’s part-time DJ turned out to be also an amateur breakdancer and started coming to pole class suspiciously soon after Hana’s first time as a pole cleaner, Hanzo has subtly been pairing them together for exercises and stuff.

And they do work well together: Hana moves very much in tune with Lúcio’s recorded sequence, and the bit where the Queen supposedly “beheads” her shadow is really impressive.

_“Would you like to… keep your head?”_

Okay, that’s even cooler. The light shines right back on Hana as she raises her head back up and the severed head silhouette from the projector falls back in place, making for a full re-attachment illusion. It’s astounding that a teenager is not only so talented in doing tricks and advanced moves on the poles, but is also able to keep a stage presence so well and coordinate with the video.

The light show grows almost blinding at the Cheshire’s Cat final speech, the _“you’ll always be my friend”_ resounding right at the end of the crescendo, during Hana’s perfectly straight ‘Allegra’.

Then she drops and rolls out to center stage, bringing with her the music, the lights, and the end.

Hana's performance is met with a big round of applause from the not inconsistent crowd that gathered to see them tonight, and the stage goes dark as Satya herself goes up as a pole cleaner -it was easy for her to ditch the big skirt and stay in her shorts, Hanzo's costume is basically just the trousers he's wearing and he isn't too keen on walking around in his underwear.

The lights come back on and for the umpteenth time Zenyatta is amazed at how much sex appeal the powers that be have concentrated in one person.

He's wearing a nearly full-face black mask, going over both eyes and then dipping down only on his scarred cheek. For once, he has covered his chest as well –he’s wearing a bodysuit of sorts, half black and half white held together on the sides by thin leather straps, complementing the high heels that have the same dichromatic design, but the most discerning feature of the costume is the hood and cape.

Genji is going to perform advanced combos in a goddamn cape.

"Show-off." Zenyatta finds himself mouthing, and his breath hitches a little when Genji chooses that exact moment to wink at him -his mind briefly reels: is the other's hearing that good? Can Genji lip-read? Or did he just so happen to want to wink at him because of the undeniably flirty back-and-forth they've been dancing around each other with?

The music starts slow and creepy  –which is apparently just as Genji likes it– and Cyborg ninja steps around the pole slowly, languidly, making full use of the cape to accentuate his body waves and wide kicks and speeding up in time with the rising tempo.

Zen feels like the song is modified from the soundtrack of one of the Resident Evil movies, but he doesn’t have enough energy in his upstairs brain to properly figure it out when Genji practically shows off his ass to the entire audience.

The cape finally comes off and holy cow, that boy is the master of floorwork. From one split into another, into round-housing to the other side of the pole and _sliding_ back and upwards, like he weighs nothing at all. And then there’s one of Zenyatta’s all-time favourites: the pole-handstand with the forward twist and kneeling landing. Absolutely beautiful every time. There’s something incredibly sexual in the way Genji powerfully flips himself back into standing position only to crumble back down on the floor time and time again, as if he wasn’t a solid form, but rather a liquid entity, who saw what a solid is like but can’t quite replicate it.

One of his frontflips ends up in a box split facing the audience, and Zenyatta actually fears Genji’s gaze is going to make him hard, as they stare each other down. Things don’t get any better as the Cyborg Ninja slithers his way back to the pole, and it’s only when he shoulder-flips himself upwards that Zen can actually breathe a little –the impressive acrobatics can finally distract him by Genji’s innate sex appeal.

It is, of course, a very brief respite, considering that for the finale Genji goes back on the floor for a handstand-straddle, and then snaps back to the ground, face down and hips up in a position that leaves very little room for misunderstanding.

_‘Dear monk friends, forgive me for I have sinned. Will sin. Am probably sinning right now just by watching this.’_

 

As luck would have it, Zenyatta misses the moment Genji comes over to the bar, busy as he  is to wave Mondatta over –he's been swarmed with his work and the charity, but finally managed to make time for his baby brother, considering he's going to perform on stage for the first time, and Zen only has eyes for him the very second he enters the establishment.

"Who's that?" Genji asks as he casually saunters over, bodysuit and all. Hanzo is by his side, long done with his turn but still in costume as well, with just a black t-shirt added to cover his chest and his mask lifted and perched on the side of his head.

Zenyatta is practically vibrating in place when the other reaches them, taking the time to hug his brother hello before turning for the introduction. "Hanzo, Genji, this is my brother Mondatta."

Said brother is very amused to find himself on the receiving end of two very assertive looks. Hanzo's eyes are calculating, trying to gauge him from whatever Zenyatta said about him and this first impression. Genji looks at him somewhat expectantly, but doesn't yank off the mask yet -he probably figures Zenyatta told him, so it wouldn't really take them by surprise. Mondatta simply smiles kindly to them both.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Shimada brothers. Zenyatta tells me you two have a similar relationship to our own." He says, extending his hand for Hanzo to shake first. Not quite able to hide a small flinch when the other's shake reveals to be _extremely_ firm, Mondatta hears the pole teacher apologize.

"Sorry. Force of habit."

"It's quite alright." Mondatta assures, turning to the younger of the two, "Genji, is it? I've heard much about you."

For his part, the Exotic teacher is on his guard again. "I'm _sure_ you did." He mutters, briefly side-eyeing Zenyatta before finally accepting the hand, eyes never leaving Mondatta's. But the newcomer just raises an eyebrow at Genji's continued stare, and it's not long before he breaks: "What?"

"It's nothing..." Mondatta says, unable to resist messing a little bit with Genji in return, if only to get a read on the boy his little brother seems so crazy about. "I was just expecting you to try and test me like you did with Zen. Should I be hurt that I'm not eye-catching enough for that?"

Genji's gaze flickers briefly with anger, and even Hanzo's eyes narrow suspiciously for a moment -Zen definitely got them being very close right- then the younger one huffs a dry laugh and his hands go up to undo the mask.

 _"Boo."_ He deadpans, once his face is revealed, with a wink and a quick lick at the edge of his own teeth.

It's too much. Mondatta starts laughing. "I should have known." He makes out between chuckles, "Zen always has been an excellent judge of character." He continues, as if that would make the confused duo watching him any less clueless, before he finally sobers up some. "He was also right in saying that your scar only makes the rest of you all the more handsome."

"Oh my _god_ , Mondatta!" Having been silent during the first few minutes to let them get to know each other, Zenyatta explodes in mortification. "Stop! You're embarrassing me!"

Despite Zen's worry that the pole dancer might overreact, or worse, think that Mondatta is actually an ass, it seems the right thing to say: Genji is shocked for a second, hazel eyes widening minutely, but then shakes his head and there's humor in his voice when he speaks.

"So this is where Zenyatta gets his sass from. The resemblance is striking."

The elder Tekhartha just dips his head in a hint of a bow. "Why thank you. I do try."

And just like that, they're friends.

Zenyatta doesn't know whether to feel proud of having been the one to pave the road to Genji not being an asshole, or slightly miffed that his brother had a much easier time with the volatile dancer... settling for a mixture of both, he lightly punches Genji in the shoulder, when the conversation dies out.

"Look at you, interacting normally with humans like you didn't make _me_ sweat for it." He mutters, half-joking. "I'm so proud, you jackass."

Genji's retort is fast and easy as is their usual, delivered with a cheeky wink: "What can I say, I like watching you sweat." ...though it probably isn't the best that could have gotten out of his mouth considering the older brother is here and watching.

Mondatta's eyes do darken for a second, and the casual arm slung around Zen's shoulders tightens a fraction. It's Hanzo the one coming to the rescue to avoid making the situation any more awkward:

"Speaking of jackasses, what were you trying to tell me at rehearsal about Reyes?"

Topic successfully changed, Genji practically jumps up and down with the information: "I was right!" he exclaims, "They're not just a 'thing', they're actually married! Like, fifteen years and counting, too!"

Hanzo looks surprised, but not by much. "That long?" he simply asks, eyebrows rising slightly.

His younger brother nods. "Gabriel was congratulating me on the paso doble last time and I saw the ring. I casually asked him how long he's been married to Morrison and he just shrugged and answered, literally giving zero fucks." Sighing, Genji carries on: "Sadly, this makes hot edgy dad officially off-limits, but it's okay. He had this adorable dopey look as he talked about Jack, it's true love for sure."

"And you're going to be alright?" Hanzo knows it's a bit of a stupid question, but he can't help asking, considering how much Genji fawned over the man in the past.

"Give me some credit, anija." The other just says, rolling his shoulders and relaxing in his seat, "It's not like I'll be heartbroken. I just thought Reyes is attractive and looked up to him a lot. Still do. But you know me, I don't cross swords."

"Cross swords?" Zenyatta parroted confusedly for a moment, before catching up. "Oh!" He blushes ever so slightly at the subtle double entendre. "That's... one way to put it."

"Are you getting shy on me?"

Pointedly refusing to meet Genji's eyes, the younger aerialist crosses his arms. "No..."

"Really? Because you're getting very red, very fast~"

"Oh, would you look at the time, I have to go backstage to prepare, it's my turn soon!" Right, the dancer almost forgot -it's Zenyatta's very first public performance as a part of the Studio. He hugs Mondatta tight before shedding his oversized cardigan and leaving it to him. "Wish me luck, brother."

The elder Tekhartha enthusiastically returns the hug. “You won't need it, you'll be amazing."

Zenyatta is already kneeling on the stage when the lights come on.

 _‘Two can play this game.’_ Is the last thought on his mind before the music starts. His movements are jerky and skittish, the choreography thought up to make it seem like he was out of his mind, and his silk is dark red, as opposed to the pristine white of his usual one back in class. He’s not looking at Genji, or anyone for that matter. There’s just him, the air, and the silks; as he invert-climbs his way into the first split.

Uncoiling a foot, he flips all the way to the other side and coils into an upside down split, chancing just one second to wave at his brother from upside-down when his reunited feet make him stable enough for such a gesture. Keeping his chest in the loop he has created, he goes into an even more extreme split, arching his back and keeping up the act of the crazy, flying lunatic, moments before dropping out to a knee hook and leaving the audience speechless ad his daring tricks. Poles are cool and all, but you can reach five meters on the silk, which is mathematically more ballsy.

Zenyatta is completely absorbed into his own focus, but Genji is actually watching with rapture as the petite boy climbs and climbs, arching back to twist and writhe as a distraction from the way his ankles are making the safety loops for his feet; but despite knowing whats coming, Genji’s heart still makes a flip into his stomach when Zenyatta drops in time to the beat. Then climbs back up, only to drop back again, this time into a Gemini position and twisting into a half-split.

Genji thought his brother and him were bendy, but _goddamn_ , Zenyatta takes it to a whole new level.

A tiny voice in the back of his head tells him the boy must be absolutely delicious under the sheets. Genji squishes it down and tries to remind himself that Zenyatta is just eighteen.

The carillon music drops along Zen’s frame and the performance ends with the boy still suspended and tangled in the silk, and the voice in Genji’s head comes back with a vengeance: he’s old enough for affirmative consent.

Genji can’t even find it in himself to be mad at Hanzo for chuckling at him as he slaps himself in the face to chase out the offending thought.

As it turns out, it’s incredibly distracting to suddenly find someone sexually attractive after watching them be absolutely brilliant at aerial sports.

Again, the irony.

 

It's not for another while that Genji's fascination with Zenyatta goes past the superficial flirting and the smaller man's irritating perseverance in being nice to him –Angela chastised him time and time again for being an asshole to the sweet boy, however good-naturedly, but the dancer just hadn't been able to take seriously all of the sweetness directed to him, without any actual hidden purpose.

Not until today.

Hanzo and Satya are fighting –not outright, they wouldn't burden their friends like that, but they seem to have grown distant from each other, after the last Exotic night, to the point it shows in their performance when they do hoop or pole together. Genji, being Hanzo's brother and Satya's good friend, is right in the middle, along with Lúcio, who had been growing fond of the hoop but now is uncomfortably stuck between his pole friend and his hoop mentor.

Needless to say, Cyborg Ninja feels more than a little stressed out despite his brother's -and Satya's- best effort to keep it on the down low; so he doesn't really have full focus on Zenyatta's class of the day, full once again and in need of an assistant.

"If you feel comfortable with the yoda, you can stretch your legs in a swan dive... slowly... breathing out... keep your arms behind your back..." Zenyatta's voice is melodious as ever, but he speaks in even lower tones than usual, hushed and soft as if he wants to lull everyone to sleep. "Keep the position however long or little you need..." he uncurls himself from his hammock and gently, discreetly brushes a hand on Genji's shoulder as he passes the other, before carrying on to make rounds around the students to make sure everyone is comfortable and enjoying the class.

The small touch, however brief, makes Genji realize that the lower volume, gentler pace and softer background music is for him. All of it.

It's soothing in a way Genji didn't think it would be, and the thought that Zen built an entire class plan around his emotional comfort makes him feel unreasonably warm. He manages to actually help out after that, guiding some people to slowly backflip to standing position and assisting with all the stretches.

"And say thank you to yourself, and your body, you did some exercise today and took care of your health and soul." The parting sentence that's slowly becoming Zenyatta's catchphrase signals the end of class, the lights go back on and the students start piling out, thanking the young teacher for an especially relaxing time.

Soon enough, it's just the two of them.

And Genji can't stop himself. "You didn't have to do that." He says, less gentle than he'd have liked to be, but it's a habit by now.

Zenyatta doesn't seem fazed. "I wanted to." He admits with a shrug. "The students seemed happy about it, so no harm done. And..." he hesitates slightly, as he's prone to doing when he wonders about crossing Genji's boundaries, but eventually carries on. "...I'm not as close to you guys as the rest of them, but I know drama when I see it."

The dancer chuckles slightly at that. "That's one word for it." Before he notices, he's sitting side by side with Zen on the floor, their backs against the mirror.

"It will be alright." The younger instructor encourages, instinctively leaning his head sideways on Genji's shoulder, "They still care for each other, even I can tell. For better or for worse, they'll see this to its end."

"Let's hope you're right." Genji slides his cotton mask down to rub at his face –he found himself to be less and less shy about his scar recently, but sometimes he still leaves it on for the students. Then he turns to the side to look at Zenyatta and suddenly wishes he hadn't lowered it.

An additional layer of separation maybe would stop this sudden urge to kiss him. Shaking himself out of his daze, and repeating _'he's just eighteen, it's just a crush and I'm_ not _turned on'_ over and over in his mind, Genji moves away to stand up.

"I should go."

Mercifully, Zen just nods. "Later, then." The low, gentle voice still carries a tone of delicious promise, though, as if Zenyatta only let him go this once, out of the goodness of his young and pure heart.

It only takes one look at Hanzo's face after hoop class for Genji to come back to Earth, though, and another phone call with Angela is in order.

"But I don't get it, didn't they start dating exactly because they're both crazy about aerial sports?" Admittedly, the couple never really showed much else to others, and they've always been very tight-lipped about their date nights –save for a few innuendos making Genji mentally visualize things he did _not_ need to know about Hanzo.

“You know… I’m starting to think that is exactly the problem.” Genji eventually tells the doctor over the line, “They don’t have anything else in common.”

Angie sighs from her end. “Well, whatever they decide to do, we can only be there for them.” She says, “ _Both_ of them.”

If only it was that easy. Genji has a feeling this won’t be easy at all.

“I don’t understand you anymore.” Hanzo is sitting in a straddle on the practice room’s floor, still clad in sweatpants and a tank top, while Satya is walking back and forth a good distance from him. “We used to be good for each other, _because_ we work well together.”

“And we do, Hanzo, but don’t you see? That’s the _point!_ ” a very awkward advanced duet class just took place, where at some point, for reasons the elder Shimada has yet to grasp, Satya refused to let him touch her and slid out of position instead. Which is usually normal for Satya, as she tends to be very selective about the people who are allowed to touch her, but her _boyfriend_ used to be one of them. “We _only_ work well together. When was the last time we talked about literally anything else?”

Hanzo opens his mouth, but before he can speak Satya makes a clarification: “And talking about your brother doesn’t count.” He promptly closes his mouth back.

She’s right. They’ve been slowly drifting apart, despite constantly being side by side. Hanzo has always been a workaholic, and Satya’s own perfectionist nature made her disregard their flawed emotional communication in favour of their impeccable teamwork as far as sports are concerned.

Their tango was beautiful, back on Exotic Night, but it was already fake. They both know the reason they wore the masks was so that people wouldn’t see that there wasn’t the usual passion in their gaze.

“What do you suggest we do, then?” he eventually asks, “Take a break? Step back?”

Satya is hugging herself, and it hurts Hanzo that he can’t step forward and place a comforting, light touch on her shoulder to help her unwind. She shakes her head. “I think it would be better for everyone if we just called it quits. Cleanly.”

“Satya, I…”

“We’re a good team, Hanzo. You’ve done more for me than anyone I’ve ever met.” The pole dancer’s presence at the Studio has indeed helped her out of her shell some, and she learned how to not feel too overwhelmed  in large groups of people, but they’re both too wrapped up in what they can do as aerialist, instead of what they can do for each other as people. “I’d hate to lose your friendship over this.”

Satya is right, and Hanzo knows it. Not that it makes this hurt any less. Eventually, he sighs. “You’re right.” He admits. “I’m sorry I can’t be what you need of me.”

“Likewise.” She says, with a faint, sad smile; and to resist the urge to step towards her and console her Hanzo has to physically leave the room.

News of their break-up spreads over the Studio, surprising less people than it could’ve, but Genji is still pretty bummed out when Hanzo hugs him and tries really hard not to show that he’s crying, when they go back to their apartment for the evening.

 

Lúcio straight up doesn’t come to aerial classes for the next week, and despite both teachers keeping it civil, friendly even, there’s still that half-awkward, half-sad post-breakup atmosphere.

The tension of the last weeks is gone, at the very least, but Genji still doesn’t like to see his brother and his good friend down –so much so that his Exotic combos class is slightly less exciting, the lack of witty one-liners tangible in the hour of practice. The students don’t comment on it, most of them being regulars and having a friendly relationship with all the instructors –they don’t want to make this any worse, so they all pretend they didn’t see it happening, which Genji is grateful for.

“Hey. Can I join you for stretching?” it doesn’t make the dancer any less relieved when Zenyatta says yes and he can enter the room with the hanging silks.

Nobody quite knows how it happened, but in the couple of months Zen has been there he’s become the precious little ball of fluff that must be protected at all costs, and no negativity is allowed inside the classroom he teaches in. They silently do the first few stretches on their own or at the wall, but Genji’s slight discomfort is clear –so much so that he doesn’t even have to break the silence first.

“Would you like to help me with the box split?” Zenyatta does it for him, and they sit in front of each other, legs far apart and matching each other’s feet. Or well, trying to, because Zen is a good deal shorter than Genji so his feet only go up to the Cyborg Ninja’s ankles, even at full split. It’s adorable. “I’ll dip first.”

Genji nods, grabbing the other by the forearms and starting to lean back, to enhance the stretch in Zenyatta’s abductors and hamstrings –he’s not surprised to find an almost immediate give, the younger’s upper body immediately folding onto his chest… it makes Genji all the more aware of how _tiny_ Zenyatta is. He manages to go all the way down and rest his back on the floor, Zen’s  face resting on its side on his stomach.

“How are you feeling?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking _you_ that? It is a pretty deep stretch.” The pole dancer jokes, but knows very well what Zen is asking. “I’m… not the one who just broke up with their partner. Have you spoken to my brother?”

Zen sighs against his chest and Genji doesn’t know if he feels guiltier for enjoying this while his brother just got out of his relationship, or stupid at his own dumb thoughts, knowing how much Hanzo has been encouraging to sort his mess with Zenyatta out. “A little.” Zen eventually says, “I get the feeling he doesn’t want to trouble me, because we’re not that close yet. He looked a little sad, but also relieved. Does that make sense?”

“I mean… kind of?” Genji lets the other lean back up as they switch sides so he can dip forward. “Satya didn’t have any classes this morning, but I saw her yesterday. She was… a bit more standoffish than usual, as if she expects people to hate her for this, but she did look less tense than last time.”

“They will be fine, eventually.” Zenyatta whisper, his voice taking the reassuring softness he usually reserves for class –either that, or he’s scared to break the quietness in the room by talking too much. “They still care a lot for each other; and letting go of the constrictions of a relationship that wasn’t what they actually wanted might be therapeutic, even.”

Zenyatta manages to lean all the way back as well, but Genji’s body is bigger than his own, so the pole dancer’s face is very close to his neck. Coming to think of it, this is the closest they’ve ever been.

“Maybe you’re right.” Genji nods, and his breath against Zen’s skin reminds the yoga teacher that Genji isn’t wearing his mask. “But what am I supposed to do?” the dancer has slowly matched his volume to Zen’s, so the empty room is barely disturbed by their whispers. For the first time in days, Genji feels calm. At peace.

They slowly return to the center position, and Zenyatta folds his legs into a lotus. “I’m afraid there’s nothing much you can do, my friend…” he says, chancing a smile and looking up into Genji’s eyes. “You can be there, and listen when Hanzo needs you, and let Satya know that you won’t magically start hating her just because she decided that relationship wasn’t what her heart needed.”

“They seemed like such a good match.”

Zen shrugs. “A good match makes a good team. Not necessarily a good couple.” It’s at times like these that Genji gets what Hanzo says about Zenyatta talking far beyond his age: “Trying at any cost to make something work only because everyone else expects it to will only hurt in the end.” Close as they are, Genji sees Zenyatta’s gaze flicker down to his lips, before focusing back on his eyes. The room is silent, the lights are low, they both disregarded any music for the simple stretches… there’s nothing to stop Genji from leaning a bit forward as the other speaks. “I believe… you have to follow what your heart tells you to do.”

“I agree.” Is the only sound that comes from Genji’s mouth before he uses it to cover Zenyatta’s lips.

They were already holding by the forearm, and the pole dancer feels every muscle in Zen’s body tense up, before slowly melting into him –he almost feels a surge of pride at that, but then the younger’s hands leave his arms and link around his neck and _oh._

It feels perfect.

Zenyatta is small, pliant under his lips and hands, and so, so warm. Genji’s hands press against the other’s lower back, pulling him close until Zen has to straddle his lap and breaks the kiss in surprise.

“Sorry.” Genji breathes, moving his face sideways to nuzzle his neck. “Too much?”

Zenyatta minutely shakes his head. “It’s just… you should know…”

The barest hint of embarrassment in the statement has the dancer curious. “What?”

“You’re my first.”

Surely that does not mean what he think it means. “Your first kiss?”

“My first everything.”

 _Holy mother of God._ Genji feels both strangely satisfied to be the first person to ever touch this beautiful, pure creature, and also outraged that no one ever saw Zenyatta’s inner and outer beauty well enough to pounce on him before. How did that not happen before?

…screw it, he’s not going to ask that question, not when Zen is still sitting on his lap, looking down to hide his blush and still so warm. Genji is sure the touch of those small hands behind his neck will leave a permanent imprint.

“That’s okay, babe.” He murmurs into Zen’s collarbone, “I can show you anything you want to know.” He thinks of his past self, from before coming to the states –of how much of a selfish jackass he used to be and how he wouldn’t have hesitated in the slightest to take Zenyatta, play with him and then toss him away. Genji would beat the shit out of his younger self. The thought actually makes him hug Zen a little closer. “…how about we take this slow, though, hm?”

The younger aerialist nods, briefly hiding his face into Genji’s chest before they break their hug, and when he sees Zenyatta’s little shy smile, just for him, Genji knows he’s fucked.

He’s fallen hard, and there’s no denying it anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference time!!!  
> An example of [latin american dance styles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZWzrlXB9KY) implemented in pole floorwork (it's not exactly paso doble, but I couldn't find any specific one. Genji's dance partner was probably Fareeha for this)
> 
> Hanzo and Satya's [costumes](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sX7Iai-NiulIjJfKIsdX4sbOUJOw_6Yk/view) for the photshoot & pole tango (just imagine it blue instead of green)  
> Zenny's aerial [bodysuit](http://franklin-james.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Aerialist-Sophie.jpg); first [pose](http://www.bluemaize.net/im/arts-crafts-sewing/aerial-silks-1.jpg) and [second one](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/506c697fc4aaef0cba44e226/t/5423e397e4b0a5427e458903/1411638173045/Lilli+Muhleisen+Splits.jpg?format=1500w)  
> Hana's Alice in wonderland [performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPEZdSW17w4)  
> Genji's [performance and outfit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaQ-BDHe_9w) (this woman, I swear... she's sex on walking legs and most of the time my reference for Genji's moves lol)  
> Zen's [performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHtBktN6D4Y)
> 
> Aerial yoga [swan dive](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/25/30/51/253051f33f400c428b0cda6afbddae01--air-yoga-yoga-a%C3%A9reo.jpg) pose (the yoda s the same, but with bent legs)
> 
> And finally the box split [partner stretch](http://imperfectmatter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/IMG_5981.jpg) (Zen and Genji are obviously more bendy than that, so they start [this close](http://pennylomas.com.au/wp-content/uploads/image74-e1376459478552.jpg), at the very least.)
> 
> ...Phew.  
> This legit kicked my ass.  
> I'll have family over for the holdiays so it'll be a long while before I manage to write again.  
> I hope the sheer length of this makes up for it, and I'll swear I'll make corrections as soon as I can.  
> I just wanted to have it out before Christmas.  
> I have to rush out for work now.  
> Happy holidays?  
> (pls love me)


	3. How they became inseparable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zenyatta embarks on a quest to get Genji to see how much he really wants him.  
> Hanzo helps.  
> Genji doesn't care much for his brother's taste in hookups.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this legit kicked my ass.
> 
> The main plot of the fic, how Genji and Zenyatta fell in love, is pretty much done at this point, the fourth part will just be an epilogue, containing how they finally get Hana and Lùcio together, what really goes down with Akande, and finally Genji's point of view on McCree's arrival at Watchpoint, tying back up with Gravity Plays Favorites in a neat little bow.  
> It might take a good while to come out, I mean... just look how long it took for THIS trainwreck of a chapter to come out.  
> References at the bottom, as usual! ;)
> 
> Oh, and please CHECK THE TAGS as there's some things that might or might not upset some people, mostly about Genji's past.

Genji is not 100% comfortable with calling himself and Zenyatta a couple, for a good number of reasons.

First and foremost is Zen being so young –he knows it's mostly a social construct, but he'll turn 28 soon and the yoga teacher is barely over 18... it's a sizable gap. Enough for Genji to have had what amounts to a parade of partners, of varied genders and sexual orientations, while he's Zenyatta's very first, by the younger's own admission.

Their difference in experiences is another factor –Genji is fairly confident he could bounce back easily enough should things go south, but anything he says and does to Zenyatta in their pursuit of... whatever this is, will likely leave an impression on him and influence future experiences. Genji is not sure he trusts himself with the task.

"It sounds like you're worried about causing him hurt, sparrow." Hanzo muses, from his perch on the bed, "If anything, I'd say that's a healthy and human concern to have."

"Still... it's a lot of pressure, to try and not fuck this up for him." Genji throws his head back to relish the feeling of his brother giving him scratchies on the forehead, and Hanzo chuckles slightly.

"Careful, someone might think you're starting to genuinely care for the boy."

"Shut up." the younger Shimada protests, "He's a sweet kid and a total babe, ok? There's nothing wrong with wanting to see where this goes!"

Hanzo makes a show of nodding seriously. "Of course." He says, mock-solemnly, "I'm just saying… just you wait, the line between 'babe' and 'beloved' is finer than you think."

"What the fuck does that even mean, Hanzo? It makes absolutely no sense."

"It means shut up, I'm right and you'll see."

The only reason they don’t spend their entire trip to the gym bickering is because it’s hard to do so on a moving motorcycle.

When they finally reach the Studio, they spot Lúcio sitting dejectedly on the sidewalk, looking out at nothing in particular.

Genji and Hanzo share a look, before the younger of the two goes on inside.

"And where are you looking, with such a pained expression?" Lúcio nearly jumps out of his dreadlocks at Hanzo's voice, which makes them both chuckle, albeit his own is slightly dejected.

"I dunno." He says, not keeping his gaze up for long. "I just..."

"Miss hoop class?" The aerialist finishes for him, "As you should, it's been three weeks; I bet you're terribly out of shape."

The reprimand is not really serious and basically affection in disguise; and they both know it. Lúcio is about to speak, but Hanzo places a stern hand on his shoulder.

"Look, Lúcio. I get it, you're my friend and you didn't like seeing me get hurt." He starts, sighing to himself, "But Satya and I are both adults, and we can't force something that is not meant to be. It might have been her choice more than mine; but at the end of the day I agree that it was for the best. We're already starting to do stretches together again. The pressure to be something specific for each other is off. It's nice."

Lúcio tentatively looks up. "Is it really?"

Hanzo nods with a smile. "All that is missing is Satya's star pupil and unofficial assistant." Then he adds, with a knowing smile: "Hana has been asking about you, you know?"

Biting his lip, the DJ tries to look away and not be too transparent about his fondness for the young pole prodigy; and the look on Hanzo's face tells him he failed miserably. Whenever a love story ends, the people around the couple often end up having to take 'sides', and Lúcio always believed there would be someone right and someone wrong... as it turns out, real life is not that black and white. He looks up again; studying his mentor's face, and finally decides. If Hanzo is positive that there's no hard feelings, then it's not his place to have any. Dusting himself off, he gets up and asks: "Do you think there's still a space for today's class?"

Hanzo smiles again. "She'll need some help if there isn't: I have choreography at the same hour today and can't go."

No other words are exchanged, and they make their way inside.

When Satya sees them, her expressions brightens so noticeably that the few students already there turn and stare.

"Hey Satya." Hanzo calls, biting his lip. "You know how I have choreo today and can't stay to help you? I happen to have found an excellent substitute. Do you have a little bit of extra room in the class?" The aerialist nods his head toward Lúcio's direction and Satya doesn't know whether to excuse herself for a moment or walk up to her ex and hug him.

Eventually, she settles for a grateful smile and a nod. "I'd love to have you here with us, Lú." She answers, the nickname coming out of her mouth easily, and the DJ nods sheepishly with a "Thanks" and chooses a spot, starting to take off his outer layers –much to some of the onlookers' delight.

"Sorry for the interruption." Hanzo says over his shoulder, throwing a wink at both his friends. "Have a good class—"

"Wait." Before she could think herself out of it, Satya briskly walks to him and squeezes the pinky and ring finger of his hand. "Thank you. I really missed my assistant."

Not wanting to overstep new boundaries, but still able to tell when she's okay enough, the pole teacher brings up his free hand and lightly pats her shoulder. "You're welcome. Tell me how it went at lunch? We can poke fun at my brother and how hopelessly smitten he is."

It breaks a chuckle out of her. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Once he is out of the room, Hanzo breathes as if a weight had been lifted off him. This is the balance they needed. He suspects life at the Studio will get much, much easier for everyone involved.

 

Hana jump-hugs him when she hears. "I'm so proud of you, poledad!" She exclaims, as he indulges her and spins her around a couple times before finally setting her down –something he normally wouldn't do, but he too has a soft spot for his star pupil. "It's good to see Kermit back, too."

"I bet it is." Genji teases from his position still on the floor, where he's doing preliminary stretches, but Hana just sticks her tongue at him. "What?" He continues, "Can I not recognize eye-candy when I see it?"

"Don't you have a yoga boyfriend to drool over?" She snaps, fuse much shorter than her already minute stature.

"Ok, first off: I don't drool –unless my scar acts up and the inside of my mouth gets inflamed for no reason..." Hanzo raises his eyebrows at that. It's the first time Genji makes light of his own face with somebody else around other than him, "Second of all... mind your own business, young lady, and maybe I won't tell Lú the real reason you take videos of the freestyle time in level 3 class."

"I refuse to dignify that with an answer."

The retort is so like what Hanzo would say that even the man himself chuckles. "My star student, growing up so beautifully." He coos, voice a deadpan but being exactly what makes it funnier.

In time, life at the Dragon Flight Dance Studio stops carrying any awkward post-breakup atmosphere, and the family of instructors comes out the other side closer than before –somewhere along the way, Hanzo decides to grow a beard, and Satya even teases him good-naturedly for it.

On his way to Zenyatta’s classroom, Genji even spots the two of them talking and laughing again like old friends during lunch time, hunched over what’s probably big clumsy dog videos, knowing the both of them.

"Good afternoon." Zenyatta is caught off-guard when Genji dives down for a kiss along with the greeting -normally, the pole dancer is frustratingly thoughtful in terms of physical contact, always waiting for him to be the one to initiate it, no doubt as a regard to his younger age and inexperience. Which in turn drives Zenyatta crazy, considering he's continuously exposed to someone as sexually charged as Genji is.

But by now he knows the man well enough to spot the small changes in attitude. "You're in a good mood today."

The other doesn't even try to hide his smile. "What makes you think that?"

"You kissed me first."

Predictably, Genji sobers up some at that. "Uh. Sorry, I uh..."

"Don't." Zen places the tip of his fingers on Genji's lips to shut them, willingly brushing his scar. "Don't apologise for giving me what I want. I mean... I've been eating you with my eyes since day one, come on. I'm okay with kissing."

Genji closes his eyes, sighing before planting a soft kiss on the yoga teacher's fingers and then taking that same hand in his. "I know, babe." He whispers, "But wanting something, especially something you've never known before, and actually being thrown in the deep end of the pool are two separate things. I've been there—"

"Then you know how much I want you every time I so much as look in your general direction."

Zenyatta's candid bluntness startles Genji into a laugh. It's flattering, to say the least, that someone nearly a decade younger than him finds him so irresistibly attractive. But it also means he has to be twice as careful, because Zen –beautiful, earnest and eager to learn Zen– has no means for comparison, no way to tell when _not_ to push himself, and his impression with any degree of intimacy depends almost entirely on how well Genji handles it. It's a big responsibility –on top of actually starting to feel enough affection for the boy to actually not wanting him hurt, the pole dancer can also admit to being vaguely intimidated by Mondatta; as much of a delight as the man can be, he's clearly very protective of his baby brother. He also gets along splendidly with Hanzo, which means he'd be as much of a nightmare if pissed off –dangerous people can recognize each other at a glance, and sometimes it's the very reason they hit it off.

"You're thinking too much again." Zenyatta's soft call brings Genji out of his musings.

He slightly shakes his head. "Just lost in thought." He assures the other, gently bumping their foreheads together. "Tell you what; why don't you go teach your afternoon class, and after that we meet up at my place, and I can... teach you some more."

Predictably, Zenyatta's face lights up, even though he bites his lips at the thought.

"Deal."

 

Hanzo is out until after dinner, apparently some big company has contacted the Studio for an ad they want to shoot with dancers and Ana asked Hanzo to accompany her to the meeting, since his big brother has a... keen eye for business.

Genji allows himself a shudder at the memories, before concentrating to the task at hand. He opted for sweatpants and a tank top, and stayed barefoot.

Briefly, he wondered whether that would be too casual or look too much like he was trying to get Zenyatta dressed down as well, but he shakes himself out of that train of thought and glares at his reflection in the mirror: "Stop it. It's almost like _you're_ the one who's 18, for crying out loud."

With perfect timing, the doorbell rings after that exact moment, and Genji takes one deep breath.

"Hey—" He barely has time to get the greeting out before Zenyatta goes on his tip-toes and kisses him, long and deep; and _oh wow_ he's a fast learner. He barely manages to lean back from it. "Someone's eager."

The mischievous chuckle his comment pulls from Zenyatta already sounds intoxicating. "Can you blame me? I'm eighteen."

For some reason, that stills the pole dancer. Such an offhanded remark, casually thrown and both self-aware and ignorant at the same time... Zenyatta is truly a fascinating contradiction.

As the younger's hands try to wander some more while they're still in the doorway, Genji grabs him by the wrists and pulls him inside, closing the door with a kick.

Zen doesn't push further, though not for lack of trying, as Genji uses his superior strength to physically sit him down on the couch. "Babe— babe, listen to me." He asks, sternly but with a gentleness that has only surfaced a handful of times so far, so the yoga teacher does listen. "I'm not going to tell you what you can and can't want. But it's very important to discern between your actual desires and what you think you're supposed to want."

While this is not a discussion Genji expected to have with Zen –or anyone, really– so soon, it might be the best way to establish a common ground where Zenyatta could move without inadvertently getting himself hurt.

"Don't get me wrong, virginity is a bullshit social construct kept up to simultaneously shame those who lose it early on and mock those who decide or happen to keep it. But this isn't about any of that. It's about intent." He explains, sinking himself info the cushion by the younger's side. "It's important, whenever you decide to have sex, that it is what you _really_ want, and that the experience will leave you happier and more serene than you were before. If you have to make _any_ compromises with yourself before, during, or after sex, something is wrong." Genji turns his head to look at Zenyatta fully, to make sure his words are sinking in, "If there's _anything_ that makes you uncomfortable at any moment, you need to stop because something's wrong." The pole dancer then takes Zen's face in both his hands to stare straight into his eyes: "If you're pushing at your own insecurities because you think your attraction to me means that I am owed sex anytime soon, you need to stop and think again."

Hanzo would be so proud. The younger Shimada toys with the idea of not telling his brother that he actually behaved for once, but then again, he never lasted long hiding things from Hanzo.

For his part, Zenyatta has grown thoughtful. He looks back up to Genji with those intense, sincere black eyes, and eventually the corners of his lips lift into a small, shy smile. "I... understand." He speaks tentatively, pacing his words like someone very much aware of being in unfamiliar territory, and once again Genji is awed by the degree of self-awareness that this very young man possesses. "I confess I don't really know what I'm doing and that I mostly  just wanted to get to the bottom of this... impulse that you instigate in me..."

Genji opens his mouth, probably to reassure him again that it's not necessary, but Zenyatta continues before he fully draws breath, placing a hand over the one still resting on his cheek and looking up at him from an half-lidded gaze. "...but there's _definitely_ a pull here, and you're going to drive me mad with lust if you don't let me chase it at least a little bit." There's that hint of mischievousness in his voice, mixed with a barely suppressed passion that Genji has only ever seen in himself; and even that was  before... before. "I trust you."

It's one thing knowing that someone much younger and inexperienced, in any field, has to have faith in you to some degree, and another entirely to hear it said. Genji is floored. After all, they've only known each other a few short months, and have been tentatively flirting for less than that.

"I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did."

The uncomfortable silence that stretches after that is broken when Zenyatta gently pulls the other's hands away from his face to nestle them in his own. "What mistakes, Genji?"

"Well. 70% of my first time was just to piss off my father, sleeping with someone he hated. After that worked far too well, I took to sleeping around, both for the thrill of it and for the stain it was in our stuck up family. I also ended up sleeping with some... unsavory characters, and allowing things to happen to myself and my body just because I couldn't be bothered to think of my own comfort –or rather thought it didn't matter much, that I was supposed to compromise." He wonders what is it about Zenyatta that has him pouring his heart out time after time, and who's really teaching what to whom. "It was a long time before I ever had sex I actually enjoyed. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, much less someone who _I_ choose to share that degree of intimacy with."

If at all possible, Zenyatta looks even more pensive –Genji is surprised to not find disgust or at least shock, but then again, Zenyatta comes from a difficult place; sexual abuse is probably not news to him, despite having been fortunate enough –most likely thanks to Mondatta and the monks' protection– to never have to experience it first-hand.

When the younger eventually does speak, it sounds completely unrelated to Genji: "You know... you were wrong."

"I was wrong?" He parrots, confused.

"That one time at the Watchpoint." Zen elaborates, his smile growing warmer, "You said you'd still be an ass most of the time, and yet here you are, being the most wonderful and considerate partner one could ever wish for."

Genji fights down the blush at the word 'partner'. "Hey." He teases instead, taking some of the edge off the conversation, "You have no means for comparison."

"I do have eyes. And a brain."

The unbridled, unapologetic sass. Genji loves it, burns with want to see more of it as he chuckles and concedes that point, once more taking Zenyatta's wrists; this time guiding them to his bared shoulders.

"Very well, then." He whispers, leaning forward the slightest amount. "Shall we... explore some more?"

Zenyatta's eyes darken further than their natural blackness, lust seeping through his half-lidded gaze. " _Yes_ , please."

"Tell me if at any time you want to stop?"

It's barely a whisper of lips against lips, but it meets the desired end:

"I promise."

And with that, they shed words to make way for their skin to do the talking.

Genji smiles into the other's lips –Zenyatta kisses with all the abandon of someone who has never been kissed before, unable to control his breaths as they grow heavy and loud, and doesn't quite know what to do with his hands: one moment he raises them, fingernails just barely scraping Genji's nape, just to drop them the next, letting his arms hang limply over the pole dancer's shoulders, perhaps worried that such a gesture would be 'too much'.

"Babe." Genji calls, relishing in the barely-there intake of breath at hearing the pet name whispered like that, "It is alright. If something you do is not comfortable, I will tell you as well."

Zen's hands immediately slither back up his nape. "Promise?"

How does one deny a sight such as that. Zenyatta looks positively tiny, in a rust coloured t-shirt that's probably a couple sizes too big and skinny jeans underneath, all lean shapes and big, passionate eyes.

"I promise, beautiful." Genji kisses him again, and the younger gets a little braver, actually splaying his hands to feel the warmth of Genji's skin, over his shoulder-blades at first, then around the sides and to the front, where he quickly but delicately slips them under Genji's tank top.

"Cheeky." He breathes out, keeping his own hands above clothing but snaking one down to cup a feel of Zen's butt –which had been teasing him relentlessly since day one, with all the yoga pants and aerial suits. "I like that."

The quiet, almost shy giggle he receives in return, as Zenyatta cranes his head to the side to give him access to his neck, is nothing short of delicious, and Genji feels a surge of energy: he needs to hear more of the wonderful sounds Zenyatta can make, and he needs to be the one to cause them.

He leans forward, making the other lean back until he has Zen lying underneath him on the couch, knees parted to accommodate Genji's frame.

Everything, from the way his bigger shape cradles Zenyatta comfortably within his arms to the surprised stutter in the younger's breathing, is intoxicating for Genji, and he instinctively grinds his body down as he dives forward to nip at Zen's collarbone.

For a moment, the gasp that comes out makes Genji smirk against the supple skin, then he registers that the hands under his tank top are actually pushing against him.

He immediately leans back.

"Are you all right?"

Zenyatta's eyes are slightly wide and his breathing is still labored –whether that's from their activity or any degree of discomfort neither of them knows. The young yoga teacher very much wanted this and so much more... and yet, feeling Genji's arousal press down against him had him overwhelmed for just a second. "I... I think I want to stop for now."

Genji sighs, relieved. Communication. This is good. "Of course." He says, taking some time to smooth his hair down, however much that's possible, "Do you want something to drink? I can put the kettle on, and then we can watch a movie or something."

"Are you not..." 'angry' isn't quite the right word. Zenyatta hesitates before finding a good approximation, "...disappointed?"

After all, the pole dancer is still in his sweatpants and the shapes underneath aren't exactly subtle.

Genji follows Zenyatta's gaze, trying to channel his shameless pole persona not to feel mortified. "No. You said stop, so we stop." He takes a few breaths to further compose himself, "I might need a couple of minutes to relax, or if you can excuse me for a little while, I can go take care of myself."

It's out of Zen's lips before he even realizes he's thinking it: "Would you let me watch?"

There's a poignant silence after that.

As worried as he had been about the younger's comfort with the entire situation, Genji can't help but be a little amused. It must show in his expression, because Zenyatta blushes crimson and baps him on the shoulder. "It's not funny, you ass." He protests, albeit with a tentative smile.

"Wasn't I _wonderful and understanding_ , like two seconds ago?"

"You're a wonderful and understanding ass."

The pole dancer chuckles lightly, before giving it some thought. Would he let Zenyatta watch him? He rakes his eyes over the yoga teacher's still ruffled form, looking at him intently with pure black eyes under long eyelashes. Eager to see, to learn, and too drawn in to actually want this to end right now. It speaks volumes of how much Zenyatta actually desires him, and to have such a pull on someone so… pure, for lack of a better definition…

Hell. Yeah.

In some way, it's the best compliment Zenyatta could have paid him. He leans away from the couch briefly, just enough to yank his tank top above his head and away.

"You can. For as long as you want." He says, keeping his voice low and warm, as his fingers go to the waistband of his sweatpants and he looks back up: "And, at any moment you so wish... you can also touch."

It's incredibly flattering how those few whispered words rekindle Zen's own arousal like a flame.

Touching himself with an audience is less awkward than Genji would have thought; maybe it's just because of the way Zenyatta is looking at him –reverently, as if he's the first beautiful thing to ever appear on Earth. It sends a further jolt of pleasure down Genji's spine, it's been a long while since the last time he actually felt beautiful, and despite maintaining eye contact for as long as possible, he throws his head back with the build-up sooner than he expected to.

Zenyatta reaches a hand out to brush it against his jawline. "Look at you." He breathes out, something akin to wonder in his voice, "You're gorgeous."

Genji comes in his hand with a gasp that gets swallowed by Zen's lips as they meet halfway for a kiss.

Zenyatta seizes the chance to speak first, while Genji comes down from his rush and catches his breath: "Thank you, for doing this for me."

Chest rising and falling in short puffs, the pole dancer glances at him. "I'm not sure it's you who should be thanking me." He confesses, reaching out with his free hand to caress the side of Zenyatta's face. "Feel free to relax for a moment, I'll go make myself presentable again.”

Privately, Zenyatta thinks that Genji has never looked better than he does now, with no mask, no stage personas and still flushed from pleasure, but this is indeed an exercise of comfort for the both of them, so he lets it go. He can understand the practicality of it, after all. And he does very much enjoy the time they spend cuddled up on the couch afterwards, drinking warm tea and talking about nothing in particular.

They end up both woken up by Hanzo: Zenyatta opens his eyes to something that feels almost too private to intrude on.

«Wake up sparrow, come on...» the elder Shimada is whispering something to his brother as he caresses Genji's forehead and hair, leaning down as he is from his standing position. By the time Genji blinks awake, Zen can't hide his soft smile anymore.

"What time is it?" The pole dancer asks, unabashedly squeezing the arm around Zenyatta's shoulders a bit tighter before sitting up in a more proper position.

"It's late." Hanzo answers, "I'll tell you all about how the meeting went after I give your boyfriend a ride home."

Genji doesn't protest the definition, being it sleepiness or acceptance, and the younger's heart soars either way. "I can do that, give me the keys..."

Clearly, the older brother disagrees. "Please." He teases gently, flicking Genji’s nose, "You'd fall asleep on the road and kill the both of you. I'll be quick, I promise."

"Okay." Genji gives in instantly, a yawn stretching the tail end of his voice, and nods as Hanzo drops a peck on his forehead out of habit.

"I'll give you two some more privacy." He says, then turning to Zenyatta: "I'm by the door when you're ready."

Zen takes some time to make sure he had his keys and stuff with him, and also kiss Genji goodbye.

"Thank you for what you did today."

Genji smiles against his lips. "I told you, I probably should be the one doing the thanking."

Hanzo generously pretended not to see them as they kissed again like in the cheesiest rom-com.

As they head towards the motorcycle, Hanzo can practically feel Zenyatta's eyes on the back of his head; and decides to put him out of his misery: "Go on, ask."

"You're different when the two of you are alone."

"That's not really a question now, is it?"

"Hanzo, please..."

The aerialist shakes his head. When Zenyatta realizes the power his big, black innocent eyes hold over people, the world will be in big trouble. Unable to say not to yet another adorable little brother, he sighs and nods. "We didn't have the easiest time growing up, even before the accident." He says, "It's really Genji's story to tell you, but the short of it is that we're all each other has, have been for a long time; so we often go to each other for companionship. We never had the chance to enjoy ‘childish displays of affection’, so we're making up for lost time."

Zenyatta nods in understanding, despite finding himself with even more questions than before. He can’t quite imagine any time without being allowed to be openly affectionate with Mondatta; and the possibilities for such a reality to come to be for Genji and Hanzo are many, and none of them good. He glances at Hanzo as the older man puts on his helmet and hands him the passenger one: "Do you think he would tell me?"

Despite the helmet covering most of his face, Hanzo smiles at the other. "He probably would if you asked, right now even. When you do ask, tell him I said I'm okay with him doing the talking."

Not  for the first time, Zenyatta has the feeling he's getting way more than he bargained for, in getting close to the Shimada brothers. The ride to his and Mondatta's apartment is comfortably silent for obvious reasons, but Hanzo does make conversation as he parks the bike and insists to see him inside: "Genji will pester me all night unless I make extra sure you're home safe."

The thought of Genji being protective of him,  on top of returning his attraction, makes Zen bashfully lower his gaze to try and conceal his giddiness. "Would he really do that?"

"Depends on who you ask." The elder Shimada says with a wink. "He'd probably deny it and play it cool, but I can assure you: he's a worrier."

Zenyatta can't quite stifle his chuckle as they reach the door. "Would you like to come in? Mondatta should be home today."

Hanzo considers it briefly. "I should be on my way soon, but I have time for a quick hello."

Mondatta is, of course, a radiantly kind host, as he greets Hanzo with a serene smile, looking up from the paperwork he was perusing. "Ah, hello my good friend! Thank you for bringing home my wayward brother."

"It's no trouble at all, Genji would have skinned me alive if I didn't." The aerialist answers with a slight bow, "Plus, Zen is an absolute delight."

Mondatta's smile turns secretive as he hums low in his throat. "You say that, but try living with him."

"I am standing right here, you know?"

Despite his best effort, the protest sounds adorable at best, and both older men chuckle.

"Of course, blessed one. You could use a reminder of your own mischief every now and then." Hanzo is content to watch the Tekhartha brothers interact, for now, and he feels a smile tug at his lips, at the familiarity of the scene. His musings are only interrupted when Mondatta's words turn to him, in a very thinly masked question: "...and how is our Exotic Dance king?"

Asking about Genji so abruptly can only mean one thing and, from an elder brother to another, Hanzo can relate. He answers with a shrug: "Hopelessly smitten, if you ask me." He doesn't bat an eyelash when Zenyatta promptly covers his face and mumbles "are you two seriously having this conversation right now?" into his hands. Mondatta laughs good-naturedly at his little brother's supposed outrage; but despite his refraining in asking any more Hanzo knows he's concerned -who wouldn't be when their sweet and sort-of innocent baby bro ended up with Genji Shimada for a boyfriend?- so he takes one more step, hoping Zenyatta won't hold it too much against him:

"Well, I can only assume from what my brother tells while still trying to pretend he can 'play it cool'." He says, "If you want all the juicy details, there's only one person you can ask. ...well, two, but I have reason to believe Genji is slightly intimidated by you."

The sound that escapes Mondatta's lips is equal parts a chuckle and a cackle; and Hanzo knows he just found his best friend in the whole wide world.

Eventually, Zenyatta speaks. "Will you tell Genji that I'm sorry for wasting his evening and falling asleep on him?"

"I can assure you, not one second of you sleeping on my brother is ever wasted, especially if he sleeps just as soundly -he can't go around causing damage." Hanzo replies, with an affectionate smile that betrays the joke. "I should be off now. You two have a good night."

They exchange goodbyes, and the rest of the night is spent with each younger brother gushing about his boyfriend to the respective older one.

Hanzo doesn’t quite have the heart to tell Genji that trying so adamantly to not confess his own feelings is a pretty good indicator of how strong those actually are –Genji extended him the same courtesy about his giant crush on Satya until he manned up and confessed; and while that love story has ended, it still was the best two years and change Hanzo had ever spent with a partner, and they _are_ still good friends, so… brotherly support in the endeavour was greatly appreciated.

It still doesn’t stop the elder Shimada from subtly trying to push his baby brother in the right direction, and the advertising video they get to shoot together with another dance crew is the perfect opportunity. The concept is to run through the alphabet, A to Z, each letter encompassing a dance move or style, all the while showing off the line of clothing that’s being advertised.

The Studio gets paid, which they’ll all see as an increase in commission, _and_ they get to walk away with all the gear they wear to shoot the spot. Not a bad deal.

Genji and Hanzo will take turns on the pole –which will be a mix of frames from them both, if the editor is to be believed – then Hanzo will also dance the rumba with Amélie, a lady from the other dance school participating in the shooting; while his brother will do some breakdance for the letter ‘o’, which apparently will simply read ‘omg’ (funny that such an acronym would be connected to his brother, it’s a common reaction he inspires into people). Zenyatta will take care of the ‘l’ for ‘liquid dance’ and the ‘w’ for ‘whine’, while Hanzo himself will be soloing ‘j’ for ‘jumpstyle’ and Satya will do the ‘Indian bhangra’ after confirming that she does in fact know it. Fareeha will both do the east coast swing for ‘e’ with Lúcio and take care of ‘t’ for twerking along with someone from the partner dance school. Lúcio himself, despite not being an employee, has been enlisted temporarily to do ‘k’ for ‘krump’ and Ana herself makes a cameo right at the beginning for the ‘arabesque’.

Both Hanzo and Genji are waiting for their turn as they watch some people from the partner school do some takes over and over, and the older brother can’t help but admire miss Lacroix’s _grand jeté._

“I mean… damn.”

Genji is not amused. “Hanzo, she will _eat you alive_.” They haven’t interacted much and all the dancers from the partner school are friendly enough, but this Amélie has a level of bitchiness that far surpasses even his brother’s.

If the amused chuckle is any indication, Hanzo realises this. “Relax, sparrow. I’m just appreciating beauty.” He assures, with a nod towards the ballerina, “Look at her hand. She’s married. No _crossing swords_ , right?”

Well, that’s a relief if Genji ever felt one.

A small group of them gets ready to do the take for the Harlem shake, for which Genji is supposed to be in a corner walking back and forth on his hands, and he gets up as well. “You not gonna do anything stupid?”

Hanzo has to actually blink for a second before turning back to his brother, to snap out of what had caught is attention: “You go do your job, I’ll see about protecting your boyfriend from people hitting on him.”

It’s almost worth the immediate look of pure fury on Genji’s face –granted, he immediately covers it up, but he does follow Hanzo’s line of sight all the way to where Zen is leaning against a wall with this blonde guy sort of looming over him and trying to strike up conversation.

“I’m just sayin’, I think it’s really cool to meet people from all places, and I bet there’s so many interesting stories you could tell me—” Hanzo tunes the guy out in two seconds flat –ugh, trying to play the ‘culturally open’ card. Nothing against the guy, he seems nice enough and he’s just getting to know Zen, not to mention he couldn’t possibly know that Zen is taken, but still…

“I suppose… not many people really know anything about Nepal.” Oh, precious cinnamon roll, so caught up in his tentative relationship with Genji that he doesn’t notice that other humans might be attracted to him too. “My brother is working with charities here in the US to improve life back home. They’ve even already been legally recognized as a humanitarian organization!” Look at him, wide-eyed and smiling as he sings high praise of his big brother –it’s no wonder Hanzo has immediately grown to care for the boy himself. He saunters up to them, nudging Zenyatta with a smile and going for a civil, non-hostile way of giving Blondie a way to step back:

“Hey Zen. Ready to see your boyfriend walk on his hands?”

It takes a considerable effort not to laugh at how Blondie’s head whips towards the set, no doubt to try and spot said boyfriend to see whether he has a chance or not. _‘Sorry, buddy, you really do not.’_

Genji’s shirt inevitably rides up as he keeps the handstand, showing off the dragon tattoo –and his back– for everyone to see. Hanzo is sure Blondie’s jaw drops a little. There goes the last thought he had about having any chances with Zenyatta. Also, he will probably have to go shake off a boner for Genji in 3… 2… 1…

“Well, it was lovely to talk to you, Zen, I’ll, uh… I’ll go prepare for my next take now.”

That’s his baby brother. Hanzo can’t help but laugh a little when it’s finally just the two of them.

“What?” Zen asks, a confused smile making its way on his sweet face.

“You really didn’t notice that dude trying to charm the jeans off you?”

It makes Zenyatta dramatically look in the direction Blondie left off and then back at Hanzo. “He wasn’t—”

The aerialist nods solemnly. “Believe me, he was.”

“…why?”

“Maybe because you’re cute, talented and have a nice butt?” The blush is expected, but not any less endearing. “Really, Zenyatta, you shouldn’t think so little of yourself that believing someone would be attracted to you is unlikely. Genji is _very_ protective, for a reason.”

Zen bites his lower lip and adverts his eyes, smiling to himself. “Maybe.” He mumbles; and Hanzo guesses it’s as good as he’s going to get for now.

Satya is just coming out of the second set from her solo dance, and he walks in her direction with an arm raised for a high-five, which is enthusiastically met.

“Show us what you can do without a pole, now, aerialist- _san_.” She teases, complete with Japanese honorific.

“Oh you know very well what I can do without poles.” He retorts with a wink, and goes to stand in place and at the ready.

They have to re-do the take a couple of times, two of which because cat-calls and whistles from Genji and Fareeha are loud enough to make it into the mics.

They don’t really get reprimanded too harshly for it, considering the whole crew is having quite a bit of fun, and soon it gets to Zenyatta’s turn for his first dance. ‘Liquid dance’, is something that Genji immediately associated to Zenyatta in his mind –he might be the master of Exotic dance and flow, but the young yoga and silk expert has a natural grace, formless and impactless, that may or may not be sensual, depending on just a flicker of his eyes as he looks, or doesn’t look, at you.

He gets disturbed in his blatant ogling by a gentle elbow.

“You’re staring.” Fareeha says, the beads in her braided hair distracting his gaze for a second from her gentle but teasing smile.

“We’re sort of together. I have a right to stare.” He protests, crossing his arms.

She nods and looks back up, feigning disinterest, “Uh-huh, and what stops you from being _together_ together, as opposed to _sort of_ together?”

The question is unexpected, but not as much as Genji felt it could have been. “Have you been gossiping with my brother?”

“Are you answering a question with a question to escape?”

The pole dancer uncrosses his arms with a huff. “Okay, yes. I have… reservations.” He concedes, looking back up at where Zenyatta is doing his bits of choreography over and over, “I mean… he’s eigh _teen_. What if I hurt him?”

“He _could_ get hurt, regardless of whether you’re his partner or not.” Fareeha’s voice is smooth, gentle, much like her sinuous appearance and velvety skin, “From what little he told me about himself and his brother, his life has been plenty painful already. Hurt can happen to the both of you, you won’t know until you give this a chance to grow into whatever it wants to be naturally. As long as you’d never purposefully hurt him, I think it’ll be ok.”

Genji grows silent; and he takes to watch Zenyatta with a fond expression on his face, as he bows politely to the director praising him repeatedly. “Maybe. You’ve given me a lot to think about, Ree.”

“You know me. Always ready to give you knuckleheads a push when you need it!” she saunters off with a wink after patting him playfully on the butt, and the day goes on.

Predictably, half the set drops their jaw at the pole dance duo and their combined performance, but what’s new. Zenyatta does meet Genji halfway on the way back to the benches to throw his arms around him and peck him on the nose. “And not one person in the whole building isn’t staring at your ass.” He whispers with a chuckle, “Except maybe your own brother.”

“Are you _joking_? My brother’s ass is God’s gift to mankind.”

“Hanzo!”

Said brother just blinks innocently. “Yes?”

“Is this payback for back when I used to tease you about Satya or are you just trying to be an asshole?”

“Yes.” Is the only answer Genji  receives, which makes him roll his eyes and lightly punch the older on the arm.

Despite Hanzo’s reassurances, Genji still keeps a close eye on him when he does the rumba with miss Lacroix, and keeps eyeing them when they exchange small praise in the form of a brief “Not bad, for an aerialist.” that received a dry “Not bad yourself, for a European.”

Genji is very proud of Hanzo for that one, even though he still doesn't like the way his brother winks at the pretty French lady. It's a good thing that she's married and that he and Hanzo have morals.

The entire team works tirelessly despite the joking and some light pranks, and by the time they reach the ‘X’ the director has the brilliant idea to ask Hanzo to paint his face and just let loose under the spotlights.

“Can I just do pirouettes and be an idiot?”

The director shrugs, as he watches Hanzo hand the brushes to Genji instead of their designated make-up artist, “Well, the caption is going to be _Xpress yourself,_ so feel free to do whatever.”

Hanzo does, indeed, whatever. His entire team laughs good-naturedly, but he still gets a double high-five from Ana. “Those were some good pirouettes, boy.”

All in all, the entire day is very much productive, and the rest is up to post production anyways. They do end up splitting into groups to go out for dinner and before the night’s end Zenyatta is sitting on Genji’s lap at their table, listening to Ana’s stories about a troublemaker step-son who up and disappeared one day and enjoying the relaxing feeling of Genji’s hand caressing his shoulders.

It makes him all the more aware of his ever-growing desire, even as Genji points out with no small amount of humor in his voice to look over at the bar, where Hanzo seems to have attracted the attention of a massive, West-African looking gentleman.

“Are we going to witness psychotic protective brother number two?” Fareeha asks, sending Genji a meaningful look –like she’s teasing, but she approves if Genji thinks it’s necessary.

The young Shimada looks over to the pair. They seem to be trading barbs, but there’s a smirk on Hanzo’s face that tells him his big brother is enjoying himself.

“Nah, I’m comfy here.” He says, patting Zen’s thigh for emphasis, “I’m pretty sure Hanzo can still take that guy in a fight. Not too sure about any _other_ way though. Rip, anija.”

“Genji, that’s terribly inappropriate!” Satya chastises him, but snorts slightly when she follows the dancer’s line of sight, “…however true it may be.”

At the end of the evening, Hanzo does not wind up in a fight but he does tell Genji about having successfully gotten the number of one Akande Ogundimu.

 

In the following days, despite Genji and Zenyatta getting more and more comfortable with their boundaries, there’s still some visible hesitation on both parts –Genji doesn’t seem to trust Zenyatta not to push himself for the naïve belief that there’s a ‘goal’ they’re _supposed_ to reach, and Zen can’t quite bring himself to be completely frank with Genji about wanting to climb him like a tree and have a good bounce.

He tells that to Hanzo in those exact words.

“I _didn’t_ need to hear that.” He says, bringing a hand to the bridge of his nose.

“Mondatta told me to talk about someone who knows how to properly convey sexual attraction.” Zenyatta explains innocently, “So I thought you were the best person for it, considering how well you know Genji.”

Well. That’s a solid reason actually. Hanzo ponders it for a while, and then nods. “You’re free today until twelve, right?”

Zenyatta nods in return. “Yes?”

“I might have an idea. How do you feel about Exotic Pole Dance?”

When Genji walks in on Zenyatta trying on Hanzo’s knee guards, he almost laughs at the idea that precious, innocent little Zenny would actually pull off Exotic dancing. Having the benefit of an outsider eye, Hanzo just knows Zen is going to make Genji _eat_ his words, especially after his foolish sparrow makes a bet out of it.

"Please." He says, "I'd really love to see someone get under the skin of Cyborg Ninja."

Zenyatta is delighted that Hanzo's heels fit him despite the man himself being slightly taller, and he fastens them to his ankles with a defiant smirk.

"Did no one ever teach you to be careful of what you wish for?"

The song starts with the rumble of a motor engine, as Zenyatta throws his oversized t-shirt to the side to take position in just black shorts, knee guards and heels, and instinct makes the hair on Genji's neck stand: he's in trouble.

Zen is not doing much at the start, some simple hip-locks and a body-wave to the side, but when he drops down, roundhouse kicking his way into giving Genji a good view of his ass and by all means _twerking like he's been doing it forever_ , Cyborg Ninja's eyes are glued to the scene.

Then Zen twists out and snaps into a wide open stance, circling his hips in time with the music, and Genji doubts he will survive this without having to sit and cross his legs. It pulls a smile out of the younger, as he pops his hip a couple times before snapping back to a standing position –the lull in the song gives him enough time to catch his breath with a couple of body rolls, and he allows himself a simple sun-wheel spin for the windup, sliding to the face the side of the pole side and lifting up to go for a heel-clap right at the beat drop.

 _A motherfucking heel-clap_.

Genji is slack-jawed. Zenyatta stays low, momentarily abandoning the pole in favor of floorwork, heeding Hanzo's secret advice from the set-up: "pretend Genji is under you".

It definitely makes it easier to grind down shamelessly to it, once he gets facedown again. He even manages to do the shoulder-stand with a straight face, all but presenting his ass to Genji, before twisting out and sliding to the side, grinding again to the left, then the right, and then pushing through his abs to get back up.

He makes the mistake of looking right at Genji as he does, and the laughter that bubbles up in his chest breaks the spell. He fully stands up and keeps laughing, both hands going to cover his mouth shyly.

"So how did I do?" He asks, as Hanzo goes  to stop the music. The younger Shimada crosses the space between them in three quick strides and kisses him forcefully, one hand at the nape of Zen's neck and the other bringing him close by the hip.

Finally, the fiery passion Zenyatta had glimpsed in Genji on that first day and that he’s been yearning for ever since.

"You..." he practically growls, "Are entirely too good to get shy on me now."

"I was playing a fun game just now." Zenyatta whispers in return, "It's called _The Floor Is Genji_."

The pole dancer actually laughs at that, turning in the direction of his brother: "Did you put him up to this, anij—"

Where Hanzo once was, a bright blue post-it note now rests over the amp, with Hanzo's neat writing on it:

 

_"There's fifteen minutes left before the afternoon Exotic. You two sort your shit out but please don't bang in the classroom._

_I'll be back when class starts._

_H."_

 

Despite the clear teasing, it makes Genji smile affectionately at the thought of his brother trying to help him out. "I guess I have been caging your wings down a bit, haven't I?"

"The blame is not entirely yours." Zen muses, resting his head on Genji's shoulder and letting one of his hands travel down the toned torso before him, "I have been all too happy to let you take the reins and take no responsibility for myself and my own wishes... so here they are, laid bare:" he goes for the kill, letting his hand fully palm Genji's crotch. "I _want you_. More than I ever wanted anything in this shitty mortal realm. I want to feel you under me, over me, in whatever position you'll be willing to show me. And I'm more than confident that when you do take me, it'll make me the happiest I'll ever be."

Shit. How could anyone survive such a declaration.

"You do realize I'll have to spend the remaining ten minutes having a freezing shower."

Zenyatta licks his lips in lieu of a response. "Hopefully next time we'll shower together."

The little imp even has the gall to high-five Hanzo as he saunters out while the pole teacher comes back, still wearing the heels.

A beat of silence passes between the brothers, until the younger one speaks up.

"I kinda hate you but I also love you."

Hanzo pats him lovingly on one shoulder. "Tell me something I don't know, sparrow." He says, moving the hand to ruffle Genji's hair despite being shorter than him. "Go sort yourself out, I can take care of the warm-up."

It's in moments like this that Genji wonders how could he ever be so foolish as to think his big brother didn't care about him, despite such thoughts belonging to a past long gone.

 

Days turn into weeks, and one particular day Akande Ogundimu makes his first visit to the Dragon Flight Dance Studio. Hanzo is very much looking forward to it, sure that another athlete would surely appreciate it.

It doesn't quite go as planned, when the question every aerialist dreads tumbles out of the UFC fighter's mouth:

"Wait, so you're a stripper?"

The entire classroom freezes and stares.

"Oh, here we go." Mumbles one of the students, as Hanzo's surprised look turns to barely restrained anger.

"We're not strippers. _Nor_ prostitutes, before you ask." He says icily, "Not that there would be _anything_ wrong with being a stripper, but it would do you well to avoid assuming that any sport you cannot understand isn't legitimate."

Akande crosses his arms defensively. "I'm sorry, I just saw the poles and called it as I saw it."

Wrong apology. "And you're so sheltered that you've never seen a circus in your life, or know what an acrobat is?" Wisely, the fighter keeps his mouth shut this time. Hanzo speaks up again: "I think your visit is done for today. I have a class to teach." He says, looking none too subtly towards the exit, "I'll call you."

Akande makes his way out past Genji, who looks up at his brother with a raised eyebrow once the man is gone and the tension is lifted. " _That_ is the guy you're hooking up with?"

"Give me a break, I have a soft spot for hot martial artists." Hanzo goes as far as to stick his tongue out, making Hana laugh at the stolen gesture, "I'll chew him out later on and we will have some _wonderful_ angry sex."

"On behalf of everyone in this class," Hana intercepts, raising a hand, "I _don't_ wanna know!"

A distant "Speak for yourself!" resounds from a corner, and the atmosphere is nice again, as the lesson resumes with a light heart and laughter all around.

Not that it stops Genji from absolutely despising Hanzo's new fling. "He's making a mistake! That guy is a fucktruck." He complains to Satya, a few days later.

"Clearly." The hoop teacher isn't the best at comforting people, but she pats Genji's forearm in the universal ‘there, there’ motion. "He'll realize that in his own time, hopefully after some good sex. You can only be there for him if things do go sour."

The pole dancer sighs dejectedly. "I just don't want to see him hurt."

"None of us do." Satya says with kind eyes, before clapping her hands. "Now get up on that hoop and practice your gazelle split or get the fuck out of my classroom."

Genji does feel much better after a good workout. His mood goes slightly sour when he sees Zenyatta looking quite down, as he talks to his brother in the Studio's reception area.

"Babe, is something wrong?" He immediately ask, not even bothering to hide the endearment any more. They haven't really had the chance to properly spend some time alone ever since Zenyatta made his intentions clear to Genji, and the dancer is worried that his boyfriend might think he's losing interest.

"Quite the contrary, Genji." Zenyatta does make an effort to smile up at him. "Mondatta's work is going extremely well, and they're going to oversee the construction of a better water conduit in the village we're from and two neighboring ones."

Genji blinks a couple of times. “That’s amazing, Mondatta! Sounds like a huge milestone!”

And it is. Mondatta gracefully accepts the praise bowing his head. “Sadly, it also mean that I’ll have to go back to Nepal to help the volunteers, and stay for a couple of months, at the very least.”

Which would leave his eighteen years old brother leaving all alone in Los Angeles for however long he’ll be gone. The other shoe drops. And Genji’s lips move before he can filter them. “I could come keep you company every now and then!” only a split-second late he remembers he’s still in the presence of the elder Tekhartha, and rushes to try and recover. “I-I mean, to make sure you’re safe… and… well, and… safe…”

Against all predictions, Mondatta chuckles heartily. “Oh, Genji, you _are_ indeed a beautiful train-wreck.” he comments, then grabbing him by both shoulders and fixing a serious but gentle gaze on the pole dancer: “Listen to me closely, for I will not repeat myself.” Genji gulps, but what comes next shocks even him. “I absolutely _do not care_ whether or not you come to the apartment and fornicate with Zenyatta on every available surface, as long as that’s what you both want and you use the proper sanitary precautions. If you’re willing to drop by, spend some time with him, make sure he’s safe and happy… by all means, have all the sex my little brother can convince you to.”

For a good couple of seconds, all Genji can do is blink. “You’re… cool with this?”

“I’m the one Zenyatta has been gushing about your angsty Cyborg Ninja ass to.” Is the not entirely unexpected response, “Put me out of my misery and blow his mind already.”

“Oh my _God_ , Mondatta, shut up!” Zenyatta fruitlessly tries once more to prevent his brother from casually revealing how crazy he is exactly about Genji, to no avail. Fortunately, the pole dancer seems just as happy to pretend those words never left the older man’s mouth.

 

Needless to say, Hanzo also makes mercilessly fun of his little brother when word of the conversation reaches his ears.  He’s much more supporting on the day Mondatta actually leaves, not only exchanging hearty goodbyes and promising to be by Zenyatta’s side when they eventually facetime, but also calming down Genji’s nerves when the evening does come.

«It’s going to be okay, sparrow.» He says, as he ties his hair back and up to go over the shorn parts that are starting to grow a bit too much, «Zen respects you too much to actually go for the sex right away.»

Unexpectedly, that’s exactly what Genji was suddenly being insecure about: «Are you sure, anija?»

«What?»

«I mean… what if it’s all there is?» he asks, not quite looking his brother in the eye, «In his attraction… in… _me_? What if the sex is all that’s left?»

«Genji…» Hanzo's heart breaks at the very notion of his brother seeing himself as nothing but an empty shell. Old feelings of guilt and shame come to the surface -eating at him, telling him he could have been faster, smarter, wised up sooner... no. The past is gone and done. He closes his eyes and takes a breath, looking back up at Genji and resting a loving hand on his scarred cheek. «You are so much more than that. Cyborg Ninja is not just your hips swinging around the pole, nor it is only the mask resting on your mouth. It's your eyes, your presence, your strength. You are a dragon. That's what the people around you see, that's what Zenyatta fell for. You shouldn't discount yourself.»

Somewhere along the older one's words, Genji had closed his eyes, leaning into the hand on his cheek with a trembling breath. He opens them back up as he speaks.

«Thank you, anija.»

«Anytime, sparrow.» The hold turns into an affectionate little slap. «Now off you go, there's a very lonely yoga teacher waiting for you.»

 

Zenyatta is new to this kind of situation. In all his years in the monastery, he _has_ sometimes entertained guests without Mondatta around, but they never were _his_ personal guest. Nor had he ever toyed with the thought of taking any of them to bed.

Zenyatta is, for lack of a better definition, _freaking the hell out_. He tells himself that the first step in solving the problem is acknowledging it.

Taking a few deep breaths, he looks at himself in the mirror. "Go get your man."

He does a lap around the apartment –nothing is too out of place, he shuffled some of Mondatta's files and papers back onto the shelf, even if not with the same perfect order, and he has cheesy old horrors at the ready.

It can't go worse than accidentally making Genji tell about the times he was arguably abused –he still blames himself for how that evening went.

Eventually, he hears the not so distant roar of a motorbike and soon enough after that his doorbell rings.

"Yo." Genji has helmet hair, but his smile more than makes up for it, along with the kiss on the cheek that Zenyatta gets with the greeting.

As much as he'd love to strip Genji down and let himself be devoured, these little tender gestures make it all the more... real. It makes his heart beat faster, to think that Genji would like to just kiss his cheek and hold him as well as everything else.

"How do you feel about take-out and B-movie horrors?" He asks, gently tugging the taller man inside.

"My two favorite things." Genji jokes, happily following and closing the door behind them with a swift kick.

"Excellent. I'll put Tales from the Crypt’s Demon Knight right on."

"That's from the nineties, isn't it?"

"What can I say?" Zenyatta muses with a smile, "I have an old soul."

They end up forgoing the couch altogether, settling down with cushions on the floor, sitting cross-legged and eating they food as they watch the movie, one of Genji's arm casually slung around Zen's shoulders, enjoying the endearingly bad special effects and corny dialogues.

The takeout boxes are long empty and forgotten when a particularly gruesome moment makes Zenyatta's head turn, as he doesn't make a single noise, but discreetly hides his face in Genji's chest.

"Babe?"

"Sorry..." reluctantly, the younger one lifts his head back up, looking up sheepishly to his companion, "I have this... thing about eyes and... gouging. It freaks me out a little."

"That's... fine." Genji says, instinctively shielding the side of Zen's face from the screen with one hand as more gory action takes place. "I wouldn't let anything harm your beautiful eyes." It's cheesy as all hell, but Zenyatta's smile tells the pole dancer it's the right thing to say.

"I feel safer already." Zen mutters, not without a good deal of amusement. He doesn't realize he's leaning up until Genji leans down and meets the kiss halfway.

A particularly blood-curling scream echoes from the television, but Genji just reaches for the remote and mutes the movie, lips still locked to Zenyatta's as he slowly leans forward some more, enough to tip them over, but gentle enough that Zenyatta could push him off, if he so pleased.

For his part, Zenyatta seems pretty content with letting himself be laid down on his back on the cushions; and in a smooth, fluid motion he opens his legs and cradles Genji's hips between his thighs.

"How are you feeling, beautiful?"

The pole dancer's voice is warm against his neck and at a lower octave than usual –if he had the presence, Zen would probably make fun of him for it, but as things are right now...

"I don't know." He says, sincerely. "I'm feeling a million things at once. I don't want this to stop."

Genji smiles against his skin. "Good. Me neither."

And he really doesn't want to stop either –the very moment he settled between Zen's legs he felt like his body never belonged anywhere else. Zenyatta is soft, pliant and warm, and yet underneath the meek exterior there's an intensity, just below the skin, watching and waiting to be unleashed.

When Genji finally decides to press on a little and bites down on Zen's collarbone, the moan he's rewarded with sounds like the most natural thing he has ever heard, and the feeling of Zen's hips bucking instinctively up into him is so right he doesn't even register he's grinding back down until his partner all but growls at him:

"Take off your clothes. _Now_."

There it is. The fiery temper that called him out on being an ass practically on day one surfacing from the usually peaceful persona -Genji loves being the one person able to rile Zenyatta up so much. He sits back with a knowing smile on his lips.

"Bossy, much?" He teases, complying all the same.

"Do you want to take me on the floor or not?" Zenyatta's 'anger' would be much more believable if he wasn't on his back, waiting for Genji with his knees still parted and fumbling with the waistband of his own trousers. Already halfway through undressing, the pole dancer can't help but laugh as he briefly leans forward once more to kiss those impudent lips.

" _Patience_ , beautiful." He whispers, "I have to show you some tools of the trade before we get to the good part."

Protection and preparation are much less awkward to explain when the person you're teaching them to is also under your fingertips, shuddering under your every touch. Genji can't help the smile blossoming on his face when he feels Zenyatta take a deep if slightly trembling breath, letting his chest rise and fall as he makes his body adjust to the new and foreign sensation –like a true yoga expert, he directs his breathing through his body to help it relax to the best of his abilities.

"That's it, wait until you're good for more..." he encourages, soft to the point of cooing and good God is that even his voice? Hanzo might be right in calling him smitten. "How do you feel?"

Zenyatta's answer shakes him out of his torpor, especially with the way the young yoga teacher crosses his ankles behind Genji's lower back and tugs him close: "... _more_!"

That's as clear a request as could be. It doesn't stop Zen from being absolutely adorable, even when Genji carefully slides inside him, what with the way he curls his hands around Genji's nape and hides his face in the crook of his neck.

For his part, Genji is torn between the aching want to really get going and make Zenyatta sing his name to high heaven, and the equally overwhelming will to cherish and protecting this perfect creature, giving himself up completely, for the first time and just for him –ad _oh_ , isn't the thought of being Zen's one and only absolutely delicious?

Genji spends some simultaneously wonderful and torturous seconds waiting for Zenyatta to adjust and toying with such a thought, feeling the deep breaths the other takes echo in his own chest and over the skin of his collarbone.

"Genji..."

That's exactly what he meant when he thought about Zen saying his name. It sounds intoxicating; and the pole dancer can recognize a plea for more when he hears it. He starts to move, and Zenyatta's sharp intake of breath as his hips stutter to meet him is all but blowing Genji's mind.

They're just getting to a steady enough rhythm when Zenyatta surprises him once more: taking advantage of Genji's hold around his shoulders, he pushes up hard and turns to the side, effectively flipping them over.

Genji is suddenly on his back, with a lapful of very happy Zenyatta straddling him and smiling down at him with that aura of mischief that only surfaces when they're teasing each other.

"I think I get the general idea." The younger's whisper is nothing if not downright seductive, as he playfully rakes his nails down Genji's torso and moves to let himself down on his prize once more.

It's Genji's turn to be slightly overwhelmed. He was more than happy to let Zenyatta set the pace for this, he just didn't think his partner would be up for _this_ kind of pace quite so soon. Clearly, he underestimated him. Not that he's complaining.

"Mother of God..." Zenyatta feels tight and warm and _amazing_ and every thrust, every push and pull is ebbing away at his awareness of anything beyond the scalding skin touching his and the nails that will leave red marks for everyone to see tomorrow.

"Now, now—" Zenyatta gasps when Genji's bucking makes him bounce slightly more than he thought he would, but he manages to find himself enough for a little more teasing: "Let's not bother any gods... I don't want to have to share you."

Everything, from the way Zenyatta talks to him to the sheer reverence he touches him with –the dancer didn't even know it was possible to _ride cock_ with _reverence_ , God– makes Genji feel like the centre of the universe, it's unlike anything any of his million partners have ever done for him and he can’t get enough of it. His hands find Zen's wrists, holding him in place as he quickens the pace, faster and harder.

Zenyatta rewards him with a chorus of little _"oh"s_ and _"ah"s_ that would make the deaf hear again just for a chance to experience it. He can tell the younger is getting close to the edge fast –understandably... what Genji didn't expect is to be pushed almost just as close by a few simple words:

"Open your eyes, Genji... please, let me look at you—" there's a choked gasp from the both of them as Genji's hips buck unexpectedly hard, "—ah— you're so beautiful..."

The feeling of Zenyatta coming undone in his arms is almost surreal –well beyond the physical gratification of sex– Genji sits up, one hand on the floor behind him for support and the other coiling protectively against the younger's waist. He doesn't need to go on much longer to catch up, not when Zenyatta, still riding out the high of his orgasm, makes little hums and whines that are practically music to his ears.

He _almost_ has the presence to ask: "Do you want me to—"

" _Don't you dare_." If anything was to do him in, it would be Zen possessively grinding down on him and demanding he come inside.

_Holy mother of God._

Genji has to blink several times before he's even aware of a room around them.

"Hey." He calls softly, caressing Zenyatta's cheek.

"Hey." The other answers, nuzzling into the hand.

"How do you feel?"

Zenyatta giggles shyly. "Like I will still feel this tomorrow."

"Sorry about that." Genji mutters sheepishly. He didn't plan to let so much loose. "I, uh... got a bit carried away."

"I think we both did." Zen turns his head to kiss the palm of his hand, "I'll be fine. I'm not made of glass, you know?"

There it is again, that cheeky, teasing tone. Genji loves it. "I do know it." He mutters, brushing his knuckles over his partner's cheekbones, "...this everything you hoped for?"

Nestling more comfily in the embrace, Zenyatta takes a big breath, really filling his lungs with air and expanding his chest, before exhaling slowly and flopping bonelessly against Genji. "You and me, here and now?" He asks looking pointedly around them, "So much more than that."

"We're going to have to move to clean up."

The young yoga teacher can't help but tease: "Aw, the rich city boy can't stand to get a little dirty?"

Genji, however, doesn't right to the bait and just chuckles. "Maybe." He concedes, "But a hot shower will feel _amazing_ right now."

That wins Zenyatta over, and it's only twenty minutes later that they curl up on the cushions again, just in time to catch the tail end of the movie.

For the second time, they fall asleep together, and Genji feels the goofiest of dreamy smiles on his own lips before drifting off.

 

It takes some months of adjustments and feeling around the new boundaries, but preparations for a summer performance at the Watchpoint see Zenyatta hanging out with Hanzo in the practice room.

Genji had been outraged that his brother was being picked over him, but the young yoga teacher curbed his anger with a peck on the cheek and a sultry whisper of "I just don't want to spoil your surprise."

Not even Hana's audibly fake cough not really masking the word " _whipped_ " could bring Genji back from the giddiness at the thought that his precious, adorable boyfriend was planning an entire choreography just for him.

Which brings them to the here and now, Hanzo killing time with some stretches while Zenyatta goes over some of the moves.

"Do you think I can get away with trying to be faster here?" He asks, tangled up as he is in a seat with silks going over and around his thighs.

Hanzo wrinkles his nose slightly. "I don't think it's worth risking the loss of the entire tempo..." he muses, bending forward from his box split to rest both elbows on the floor. "You picked a fast song, but that doesn't mean you have to go in eights. Try in fours and see where you get."

The change in rhythm doesn't let Zen get in as many different figures, but he can still make do and look like he's moving in time with the music.

"Oh this is _so much_ easier!" Zen exclaims, as he snaps in his upside down pose. Hanzo holds back a chuckle and an easy silence settles between them.

The young Tekhartha just know he has to break it. "So..." he starts, climbing down to get some water, "Are you seeing the big fighter guy again?"

"He does have a name, you know?" Hanzo knows that Zenyatta does. As does Genji. Both of them absolutely despise Akande and had been ecstatic when they broke it off the first time.

It would seem that the UFC fighter just can't quite wrap around his head that being an aerial performer is not demeaning and/or synonymous with sexual promiscuity. He conceded slightly when he just agreed that he doesn't understand Hanzo's work and left it at that, and they've been seeing each other on and off ever since.

Which happens very rarely, between Hanzo's busy schedule and Akande actually living far away... but they do meet sometimes. They meet, they hook up, they find just enough time to disagree about something else and then go their separate ways.

"That look on your face tells me you're overthinking again~"

Startled out of his thoughts, Hanzo shakes his head. "Well. I haven't talked to him in a few months. Genji says he's toxic for me, and..." And he's very tempted to trust his brother's opinion on it, if not for the nagging feeling that it wouldn't help his growth as a person to only ever surround himself with people he can easily agree with.

Sometimes it's constructive to invite in some conflict. "...and he's been making fun of me." Hanzo says instead with a smile, making his voice slightly younger to get a good Genji impression in: " _Look at us now, anija! I'm the committed one and you're the one having the casual sex! What would the elders say_?"

"Again with these mysterious elders. " despite his curiosity, Zenyatta knows better than to ask. Genji has pleaded and pleaded to his brother not to actually say anything, because he wants to be the one to tell Zenyatta, and performance night will be the perfect chance to sneak away for a little quiet and some heart to heart.

Predictably, Hanzo just pinches Zen's nose and nods towards the silk.

"Come on now. Let's see it from the top."

 

Performance night comes way sooner than Zenyatta was mentally prepared for. But Genji has been calling him 'babe' less and less, going from 'dollface' to 'beautiful'; and he even said "good morning, beloved." the last time he slept over.

Not wanting to ruin it, Zen hasn't mentioned it yet, but both Hanzo and Mondatta agree that Genji's heart is ripe for the taking. Which is why he makes eye contact with his boyfriend as he steps on stage, briefly takes the microphone from their announcer –they have a freaking announcer now!– and says: "This is for you, Shimada Genji."

When the song starts, Genji is both amused and confused –it's not a song that would be ideal for silks, though Zenyatta is making it work somehow; giving up some middle beats to match up the start or the end of a chorus; what's more pressing than that is that said chorus of the song goes "you're a bitch, but I love you anyway".

There have been obvious choices made –moments where Zenyatta slows down to come back up from an inverted position and spends time shaking out the silk to prepare the next move instead of trying to follow the very fast beat, but the result is no less beautiful, and the young aerialist makes the best of his own body, kicking out with his free leg to match up with the drums while he’s still very much upside down and with one ankle tangled up in silk; a position from where to quickly snap in a different pose would not be possible.

Hanzo has probably had an hand in this very public and very deliberate confession, he always did love his drama, but Genji can't help the full warmth spreading through his chest at the sight.

Someone is dancing for him. Someone is actually serenading to him, the most shameless, unabashedly cheeky love song that they could think of.

Good God, he's in love.

The last part of the song is the most complex to keep up with, and once more the part of Genji’s mind that is very much a dancer and choreographer can easily spot the sacrifices in tempo that have been made, with a split that looks like it’s sooner than it should be but it’s only a bounce of preparation for the next one –which is not only a perfect gazelle split, but it also just so happen in the precise moment the lyrics go “you’re a bitch” again. The song’s final words are sacrificed as well: Zenyatta spends them coiling himself up rather than in any sort of figure, because there’s a long guitar riff right after, and Zenyatta’s free fall ends right at the last, resounding drum beat.

When the time comes for Zenyatta to take his bow, Genji can no longer restrain himself. He practically jumps onstage and attacks the younger aerialist with a hug and a kiss. The mic is off but the entire front row can hear the exchange that follows:

"Of all the songs to dedicate to me, you choose one that calls me a bitch?" Genji asks, smile so wide it almost actually hurts.

"It is quite alright." Zenyatta says, pecking the corner of his mouth where the scar starts, "You can be _my_ bitch."

The audience awws and laughs at the same time. Even Reyes, from his little guard desk, slow-claps for the happy couple.

It takes almost two hours, but after dinner and drinks with half the Studio’s personnel they finally have a moment alone, back at Zenyatta’s place, and Genji takes a deep breath as he sits down on the bed.

“You know you don’t have to tell me if it bothers you…”

Zen’s voice is soothing, as everything else about him has been for Genji ever since… ever, now that he thinks of it, and the dancer smiles as he shakes his head. “No.” he says, “If we’re going to get serious about us, you deserve to know.”

So he tells. About the cherry blossoms of Hanamura, about two boys born in a family that wouldn’t let them be children, much less men with their own mind. About an older brother that was nearly pitched against him, but that never really stopped trying to protect him. Genji tells a story of pain, hate, sadness –acid against his face, hospital lights and a one-way ticket to the states. Big words he didn’t care to understand, like ‘application for citizenship under persecution’ and other legal matters that Hanzo sorted out while he focused solely on healing. Somewhere in the story, the name Angela Ziegler appears, the person who rebuilt half his face, and Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison aren’t just two gentlemen that happen to be both ex-military and security guards in a nightclub, but also people with friends in high places that apparently helped him and Hanzo cut off all their ties to Japan.

“…so now you know everything.” By the time Genji’s story is over, there are tears running down his cheeks, but he’s even more surprised to see, when he looks up, that Zenyatta is crying as well. “What—”

Zen hugs him close. He doesn’t say anything for a long time, but it takes Genji’s breath away when he does. “I love you.” He starts, and it’s the first time either of them ever says it out loud. “I’m grateful you told me, and I want you to know I love everything about you. I love your scar, I love the way you look at me, I love that you haven’t let your past devour you. I love that you have been able to heal.”

“For a long time, I almost thought I never would.” Genji whispers, holding his lover tight by the waist and nuzzling his neck. “Then I met you. As cliché as that sounds, you healed me.”

Zenyatta closes his eyes as Genji lovingly brushes his fingers under them to wipe his tears, and takes a deep breath to really cherish the feeling of those hands on his face. “I’m… glad.” He says, and it’s all he has the time to say before he’s dragged in for a kiss.

Mondatta is going to be so proud of him, when he comes back from his trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference time!  
> [gazelle split on the aerial hoop](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/STf0qLNA4Z4/hqdefault.jpg) (which is actually gazelle split on everything else as well, but you know... semantics.  
> [This diesel AD](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFZxK8edZWA) has been out for years and it occurred to me it's something they'd totally hire the Studio for. And hey! Guest appearance by Amélie, lol. The bit where Genji warns Hanzo against getting close to her is my favorite. XD  
> [Zenyatta's sexy choreo](http://headraline.tumblr.com/post/169865015863/a-little-bit-of-sexy-choreo-ah-it-feels-good-to), provided by yours truly -it was the first and only take on video, so I'm not super-confident or even well cleaned in the moves, just keep in mind that Zenyatta does it much better than I do.  
> [Zenyatta's performance](https://vimeo.com/253111261), but obviously danced in the [red aerial suit](http://franklin-james.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Aerialist-Sophie.jpg)
> 
> ...aaaand that's about it.  
> Holy shit this kicked my ass.  
> You guys better enjoy it.  
> Just kidding.  
> ...pls love me. <3


	4. How they teamed up to hook Hanzo up with the hot new bodyguard at Watchpoint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genji and Zenyatta grow closer still, and they help Hanzo through trying times.  
> Eventually, they also start trying to set him up with the resident cowboy, and ends become beginnings for everyone involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY, SWEET MOTHER OF GOD I'M SO SORRY IT TOOK THIS LONG.
> 
> My Genji armor broke and I've had to rebuild it from scratch -I'm not nearly done yet, but as of right now I'm waiting for materials to come so don't have much to do but write.  
> Work has also been an absolute bitch and ugh.  
> It's just been a bad month, mental-health wise. Either way, I'm better enough now, and this is as good as it's gonna get.  
> It ties back into Gravity Plays Favorites quite nicely, I think.  
> It's far (veeery far) from perfect, but I can honestly say I'm proud of it. Especially the performances.  
> References at the bottom!

Fast-forward to the next year and then some, and Genji will happily confirm being absolutely whipped and even make the jokes himself –which is a rather smart move, considering it takes the fun away from other people. The next couple that needs a push in the right direction now is one of two individuals who are almost just as dear to Hanzo as Genji and Zenyatta: Hana will soon turn seventeen, and Lúcio thinks she might actually be getting prettier by the hour.

"Come on now, I don't think you're a creep at all." Zenyatta's soft encouragement doesn't sound strained in the least despite him lying face first in a box split with Genji pushing down his lower back to enhance the stretch –it's evening, most of the classes are over and done with, but they’re all going out for drinks later and it’s a school night for Hana so only Lúcio stuck around to wait and tag along.

He seems very distraught. “I’m close to 22 and in love with a girl of 17! How am I _not_ a creep?!” Both Genji and Zenyatta give Lúcio a very eloquent stare. “I— I mean… not that you’re a creep or anything, Genji… it’s just that…”

“Do you think it’s different for us because we’re both guys?” Genji asks, not bothering to beat around the bush, “Or because Zenyatta is over eighteen?"

The sheepish look on the DJ's face says a lot.

"Well... it's just..." he can't quite meet the couple's eyes  –their gap in age is bigger than the one he has with Hana, so there's no ways to explain his dilemma without sounding like he's insulting their relationship. "If I say even one word about my feelings..."

"People around the two of you will think you're having sex with a minor?"

Taking a page from his beloved’s book, Zenyatta is disarmingly frank. Lúcio can't quite meet his eyes.

"Basically, yeah."

"But you won't have sex with her as long as she still is one, right?" As if it would even be a question –Zen's tone is purely rhetorical.

"Absolutely, man!"

"Then why does it matter?"

It warms Lúcio's heart to have friends that hold him in such high regard, but they do live in the real world. "You think anyone will believe me?"

Genji knows the struggle, to some extent. He shakes his head. "Hana will defend you. And any of us will back you two up. Ana first of us all."

"Well..." out of things to say, the DJ just nods with a shrug. “Thanks, dudes."

They're all mingling in their favorite pub when Genji brings the matter up to his brother: " _Ugh_. It's so syrupy, it's painful to watch."

Hanzo doesn't need to look to know –Lú is talking with Satya about hoop routines for doubles and inevitably Hana comes into the conversation as a frame of reference and their beloved breakdancer is basically just gushing about her at this point. "Give it a little time. They need to get enough confidence to be able to live with the fact that society as it is today thinks that everything is about sex." He says to his little brother, nursing his drink, "Only when their feelings are strong enough to disprove such a statement they can be comfortable calling themselves a couple."

"I know, but..." Genji sounds like he's in agony. Hanzo chuckles.

"In the meantime, I've paired them together for all the double routines and will soon assess them to switch to level 4." He adds, downing whatever was left in his glass in one large gulp, "Hopefully, working so closely together will give them the extra push."

The younger Shimada is silent for a moment, before tossing his head back in laughter and clapping his brother on the shoulder. "You're an evil genius, anija."

 

Much to the delight of the lady with two sons that sometimes sit in a corner of the class and cheer their mommy on, choreography for doubles happens to be the perfect opportunity to get the two to at least admit that they're sweet on each other, eventually.

"It's the second time you almost drop her, Lú." The instructor chastises, stopping the music. "Both of you, climb down."

Once the two pupils are both close enough, Hanzo leans a hand on the mirror, leaning the rest of his body outwards with a bent leg that would resemble almost a seat.

"If this is me on the pole, and she takes the jump, I have to make sure I have a good hold on her." He nods at Hana to take a small leap towards him and grabs her by her midriff. "She's going to have a hard enough time pulling up, you need to pull her close and help her along." And just like that, Hana is effortlessly seated on Hanzo's thigh. "Now down you go."

"But daaaaad, I'm comfy!" The humor is not lost on the rest of the class and, on the safety of the ground, the teacher just drops her unceremoniously on the floor.

"What did I say about sassy backtalk, you little brat?" He jokes back, shaking his head, "Come on, you two try it from the ground."

Like some things are every now and then, with aerial sports, it's somehow harder on solid floor than it is on the pole –the safety of it makes one reluctant to put their full momentum in movements, and the result is less than ideal. Hanzo lets it go on for a couple of attempts before clapping his hands twice.

"Okay, break it up." He says, stepping towards Lúcio. "Lú, you have to tell me: do you have a problem with Hana? Would you rather not hug a beautiful girl close to you? Or are you two just half-assing it because you don't really like this class?"

Both go beet red and stammer out negatives at the accusation of not loving pole.

Lúcio is particularly distressed. "I-it's not that I don't like Hana!" He blurts out, "I _do_ like her, probably a little too much, I—I – I mean I'd love nothing more than to hug her and hold her close but _oh God_ I'm 22 this is _so_ inappropriate—"

"You... like me?" Hana’s unusually timid question cuts through Lúcio’s rant, and Hanzo could swear he hears a murmur of _"finally!"_ from somewhere in the class. He agrees.

Hana all but jumps into Lúcio's arms, completing the move perfectly as he grabs her on instinct to avoid letting her fall. "Why didn't you say something sooner?! It would have made me feel _so much better_ about my gargantuan crush on you!"

The DJ can't quite believe his ears, and doesn't look at Hana in the eyes, losing his gaze in the mirror instead. "I... I just didn't want you to think I was a creep going after young girls."

Hana is indeed very young, but she is also very perceptive and what transpired between Genji and Zenyatta made her learn more than she'd admit to. Her smile, already giddy from the confession, turns warmer still. "Hey. Nothing you ever did made me think you're a creep." She says, kissing him on the cheek and getting back down from their pose, "I know I'm safe with you."

There is a literal pause for the entire class to make an _aww_ sound at them when Lúcio says "Does that mean I can ask you to be my girlfriend?"

When Hanzo claps again to resume the class, everything goes much smoother, and Lúcio leaves with a big, dopey smile on his face. He's in no rush after all, and Hana is so cute and smart and delightfully snarky; he can't wait to have movie marathons and play Prop Hunt together as they eat junk food. All the little, simple things his previous girlfriend took for granted and always defined a 'waste of time' –almost like the fact that he was a DJ meant that everything had to be about clubs and sex and night life all the time, always. Hana has been the first girl to ask him whether he liked Portal and wanted to play coop. Genji was right, it _is_ nice not to be considered just a hot body.

Of course, the turn in their relationship means that now Lú is extra careful not to do or say anything even remotely suggestive around Hana outside of pole class –for a  good few months she's still a minor; and he intends to respect that, despite her claims that she wouldn't be all that different from now in a few months.

He argues that "a few months" make the difference between a fetus and a fully live baby, and offers a compromise: they can use such time to feel around the boundaries of this very new relationship, see what they're comfortable with and, after all that, take it and see where it goes. Neither of them is going anywhere, after all.

Apparently, Genji was also right about the young ones being the most eager.

 

It seems that Genji is right about an awful lot of things, lately. Mondatta comes back from yet another trip, and it just so happen that he stops by the Studio at the same time Akande goes to pick up Hanzo –much to the younger Shimada's chagrin, the UFC fighter will be in LA for quite a bit of time because of some tournament or other that Genji doesn't care to follow, and has somehow managed to convince Hanzo to try "going steady".

As it is, he's incredibly smug when, after watching the man take the aerialist out to go have dinner together, Mondatta turns to his little brother and declares: "I don't like him very much."

Zenyatta fights to keep his composure while Genji doesn't bother reining it in: " _Right_? Total fucktruck, that one."

"I wouldn't have phrased it like that, but..." the activist falls into step with the couple as they go say hi to the other instructors and maybe stop by Ana's office to offer a break from paperwork, "He seems awfully judgemental. Always piped for a fight and just pretending to accept any compromise just to win time until things actually go his way."

Zenyatta nods. "Hanzo seems to believe having around someone who disagrees with him constantly will help him not to get complacent, but..."

"It opens the flank to the risk of getting badly hurt." Mondatta practically finishes the thought for his little brother.

"So how do I make him see he needs to ditch that asshole?"

Genji's blunt words do make Mondatta chuckle, but he shakes his head. "It is Hanzo's decision to make. You can only offer your support if or when things do go sour."

The younger Shimada only hopes they won't be too sour, for Hanzo's sake.

 

For his part, Hanzo is happy that Akande is bringing him on a double date: at first, he'd been hiding their relationship from his fighter friends, ashamed that his boyfriend worked "dancing dirty", but now he gets to meet Aleksandra "Zarya" Zaryanova and her girlfriend Mei –who's not a fighter at all, so at least they will have something in common.

Introductions go pretty well, up until the moment Zarya asks a perfectly innocent question and yet Akande stiffens at it.

"So, Hanzo, what do you do?"

The aerialist was about to answer when Akande butts in: "He's a gym teacher."

Hazel eyes narrow in the man’s direction. The _nerve_. If Akande thought he could speak for Hanzo and hide his supposed 'shame' while he was right there, he has another thing coming.

"An _aerialist_ actually. I teach pole dance and other acrobatic dance styles. But mostly pole." He says proudly, deliberately stressing the pole part. "You know, glitter, heels, hanging upside down and all that." He adds with a wink.

Akande is glaring at him, but Hanzo meets his gaze evenly, as if daring him to object.

"T-that's so cool!" Mei comments, bless her heart, "So you must be really strong, too, right?"

Zarya is also laughing happily. "It does sound like you do your lifting!" She comments, reaching out to drop a friendly pat on his forearm that has Hanzo worry about broken arms, "Is that how you two met?"

"Not quite." Hanzo answers with a smile, wondering why Akande couldn't be more like his Russian friend, "I won't be a heavyweight anytime soon, but I can hold my own if challenged at arm wrestling."

"Don't get your hopes up." Akande instinctively mutters, just on the shy side of derisive, and immediately Hanzo's temper flares.

"You want to take that chance, _big boy_?"

The sheer amount of challenge in the aerialist's tone is enough to make the UFC fighter back down –it wouldn't do to be embarrassed in public on the off chance; and Hanzo already made a spectacle of himself with Zarya, in Akande's not so humble opinion.

He goes for a change of topic, turning to his Russian friend. "Speaking of chances, did you qualify for the quarters?"

"That's what I thought." Hanzo mutters smugly, and Akande can't help but hiss "You'll pay for this later!" at him...

...and the fact that the reply is a playful "You're going to have to _make me_ , big boy." with an emphasis that would have made Akande blush if his skin was light enough to show it... well, it's nobody's business.

The conversations steers back onto safer waters, revealing Zarya being an absolute delight –eccentric, blunt and boisterous, but ultimately cool in Hanzo’s book thanks to her sharp tongue and enthusiastic sportsmanship. Her significantly more open mind in regards to pole makes the aerialist even throw in a wink and a remark about what a shame it was to meet Zarya when neither of them is single, to which the pink-haired fighter laughs heartily and replies “No offense, but it would have been very much barking up the wrong tree!” with a nod towards Mei.

Bless her, the petite woman doesn’t quite follow but shrugs with a smile, and Hanzo nods in understanding.

 

In the end, Akande doesn't make Hanzo pay for his ‘insolence’ at all. Dinner goes quite well, actually –the pole teacher gets along marvelously with Mei; and Zarya only pokes a small but of fun at him, ultimately considering him a fellow sportsman after all. That got the fighter a scathing remark about how she _"gets it"_ and he doesn't.

Akande is not sure what is there to get about a man slithering around a pole for a living, but they've long agreed to disagree on that.

But back to the present. Akande's so called threat was very much short-lived, considering that the minute he tried to pin the aerialist once they reached the place he's renting in LA, Hanzo just flipped their position and straddled his legs in a way you just don't say no to.

It does pull a chuckle out of him.

"If only you put all this strength to a good use..."

The only reply Akande gets is a harder grind down and nails raking down his pecs, along with a warning: "Killing the mood _very_ fast, big boy."

"I'm just saying—" he tries to sit up and steal a kiss, but Hanzo roughly shoves him back down and he _lets him_ , "—think of it... me and you, going around on tournaments, together..."

Nevermind that they'd be on different levels and weight classes. But that's Akande's special way of having rose-tinted glasses. Hanzo is neither amused nor intrigued.

"Am I going to have to gag you? Because _so help me_ , I will."

That particular tone makes Akande forget what he was arguing for in the first place. "You know, it's kinda hot when you get all commanding like that."

"Oh baby, _you don't know the half of it_."

Before meeting Akande, Hanzo had always thought angry sex was overrated. Now... it's still not all it's cracked up to be, but he can see a certain appeal: at the very least, it makes his boyfriend shut up about what's 'better for him'.

It's really the only qualm he has about their relationship: he's been willing to tone it down, to be understanding of Akande's upbringing and how something that challenges deep-rooted beliefs might be hard to adapt to... but aside from agreeing to avoid talking about his job at the Studio altogether, the UFC fighter hasn't been as willing to meet him halfway.

He doesn't even realize he slowed down, lost in thought, until he feels the tug of Akande's hands on his hips. Feeling a little petty, he bites back a smirk.

He will blame Genji for this later. "You want more?" He asks, blatantly being coy, "...then _beg_." His baby brother is going to be so proud.

"Baby, c'mon..." Akande tries to grip him harder, but Hanzo simply braces himself firmly against his chest and tucks his toes in. Short of hurting him, Akande won't be able to move him one millimeter.

"I said. _Beg_." His tone is full of the authoritarian lilt he learnt from watching his father.

"Hanzo..." the UFC fighter is practically panting as the sudden lack of movement makes his need all the more intense. Hanzo doesn't let up.

"What's the _magic word_?" He asks again, velvety and low but firm.

" _Please_!" Akande eventually concedes, switching his grip from the aerialist's hips to his forearms in submission. "You win! Just... please, _please_ give me more."

Okay. It _is_ pretty satisfying to see the much bigger and technically stronger man willingly beg for him. Hanzo wonders how much of such enjoyment comes from his own past. But he doesn't really have the chance to dwell on it too much: he's not as impervious to the need for more as he'd like Akande to believe, and soon enough he also gets lost in the back and forth that eventually brings them both to completion within few minutes of each other.

The UFC fighter seems more mellow afterwards, relaxing on the bed while he watches Hanzo get dressed. "Stay the night, wake up by my side tomorrow."

If it wasn't phrased like an order, the aerialist might just have said yes. As things are now, he still feels angry about Akande trying to bring up his life choices during sex. "I have to go back to my brother."

"Your _brother_... right." That's another thing. Akande seems to have a deep distaste for Genji –granted, the feeling is very much mutual, but the UFC champion treats Genji like he's the cause of everything wrong with Hanzo... or rather everything _he_ thinks is wrong with Hanzo. Like being a pole dancer instead of a fighter or martial arts teacher.

He hasn't openly voiced it in a while, but it's still hanging in the silence.

"Yes. My brother." He reiterates, "You know, the person that _actually_ loves me _without_ trying to change me to their liking."

For better or worse, Akande doesn't really rise to the argument and deflects instead: "Oh? We're busting out the L-word, now?"

The aerialist sighs. As much as he enjoys a challenge, this is exhausting. "Isn't that what _going steady_ means?" The silence that hangs between them is heavier than either of the two would like. "...forget it. I have to go. Call me if you want to go together to that after-fight party you told me you have next week. Or don't. I'll see you when I see you."

 

Genji should have known, really. He has a wonderful boyfriend on two years together and counting, the Studio's popularity is growing by the day, he has been coming to terms with his disfigurement enough not to care anymore... something _had_ to go wrong somewhere.

Hanzo comes home way too early –he'd have thought he wouldn't come home at all, since he sees his ...boyfriend... so little.

«I’m home...»

His big brother is also silent and looking at nowhere in particular as he enters the living room, stopping a couple feet short of Genji's position on the couch –arms hanging to his sides and fists clenched.

Genji knows that look all too well, he's seen it on himself enough that he knows what to do. He stands up and opens his arms. "Anija—"

Hanzo instantly throws himself in the hug and hides his face in Genji's neck, trying not to give away too much that he's stress-crying.

"Oh, brother..." the younger Shimada whispers, brushing his fingers in Hanzo's hair, "Why do you keep doing this to yourself?"

"I know, sparrow." The other mumbles, closing his eyes, "I should just walk away, it's just... every time I'm about to do it he does or say little things, that make me feel so... I don't know. I always end up giving him one more chance."

It's not logical, that's just how feelings work. It's probably driving Hanzo nuts, as rational a person he normally is, and it's the reason why Genji doesn't really have solid advice for him -he could tell Hanzo to just break it off a thousand times, as of right now Hanzo wouldn't listen, despite his own better judgement.

But he can offer support at the very least: "Well. Just because _you_ keep giving him second chances doesn't mean _I_ will." He threatens playfully, then going serious: "It's the third time you cry like this in my arms this month. It happens one more time, I'll find that son of a bitch and _rearrange his features_ with Ryuuichimonji."

Tired and stressed out as he is, Hanzo doesn't argue against Genji's violent inclinations, and just nods.

Zenyatta's sweet voice from Genji's iPad makes both brothers jump: "Good. I will provide an alibi, beloved."

Right, he was facetiming Zen and whispering sweet nothings to each other when Hanzo strode in the room.

It's worth the slight awkwardness, since it makes Hanzo crack a laugh. "That won't be necessary..." he tries to assure, breaking the hold on Genji and drying his eyes, "But thank you. Both of you. I'll leave you to your talk."

"No, no, Hanzo come on, stay!" Genji offers, looking at Zenyatta through the screen as he retrieves his device and feeling inordinately proud when he sees the younger one nod, "We were talking about nothing in particular, tell us something embarrassing about Doomfuck so we can laugh at him!"

"Ooh, wait, I'll call Mondatta over... has he told you yet that he doesn't like him? Wait here I’ll get him so he can tell you!"

Hanzo shakes his head, but complies and sits beside his brother. To an outer eye, these two probably sound incredibly petty right now, but they're just trying their best to protect him and to take his mind off the side of him that's more inclined to give in.

Genji in particular. He knows why Hanzo keeps going back to that asshole –back in Hanamura, they both had quite the eager following, not that Hanzo took as much advantage as he himself did, but the minute thing went south with the family, all their supporters magically disappeared. It nearly killed them both to find themselves so alone at their lowest and most vulnerable, both literally and emotionally. And Genji knows Hanzo doesn't want to be alone. Just as _he_ had been left bitter and convinced that all people valued him for was his beauty, Hanzo has been left scalded and convinced that people will only stick close to him for their own gain. Once they can no longer have their way, they'll leave.

Their friends at the Studio have been a lucky exception, and Satya has been basically a miracle, sticking around and supporting him even after their breakup... but Hanzo still has this mind-set, like he won't have the chance to have a significant other unless he compromises, pays a price or some bullshit like that. It will be good to remind his stubborn brother that he's surrounded by people who love him without any hidden agenda.

Hanzo did it for him, after all.

Mondatta's face comes into view on the screen, and Genji waves with a smile.

"Zenyatta is pulling me away from the overseeing of a crowdfunding campaign that's been a nightmare to get going." He says evenly, looking straight at Hanzo as he does, "So I'll be quick and clear: Akande Ogundimu does not deserve you, Hanzo. He probably never will and doesn't seem willing to loosen up his views enough to accommodate your presence in his life unless it's bent to his expectations."

Zenyatta is slow-clapping in the background.

"But..." Mondatta continues on, making both younger brothers gape at the mere mention of a 'but'. "It's difficult to see things so logically when you're emotionally invested. Whether or not you decide those emotions are worth it is ultimately your choice. Just know that we believe you are worth so much more."

There's a beat of silence, because neither Genji nor Zenyatta know what to say to top that, and Hanzo's eyes still look suspiciously moist.

No further words are needed, however, as the elder Tekhartha himself diffuses the situation: "I mean... I'm by no means an expert, but the sex cannot be all that great, can it?"

All break into laughter, Hanzo discreetly trying not to turn scarlet. "It _almost_ is." He admits. "He changes completely, and he... never leaves me wanting."

"A compulsive provider. Might explain the need to have you tucked in his little pocket." Mondatta comments, and at the same time Zenyatta side-eyes Genji through the screen:

"I don't know, Hanzo... I mean, your brother is pretty much a sex deity, and I'd still dump his butt if he ever tried to treat me like Dumbfish treats you."

"Dumbfish?" The aerialist deliberately ignores Zen's words about his brother's sexual prowess as a courtesy to everyone involved, "That's a new one."

"You know me, I don't like cursing whimsically."

"That's only because it takes a bit of coaxing to get you talking dirty, beloved." Because of course Genji has to bring it up.

Zenyatta blushes vividly despite how comfortable they are together. "Can we please _not_ have this conversation in front of _both_ our brothers?"

"Seconded!" Hanzo agrees holding back a cringe and making Mondatta chuckle affectionately.

"Thirded!” he says, gaze turning back in the direction of his work table, “I actually really have to try and figure this out..."

The stacks of paperwork catch Hanzo's eyes through the screen, especially those with numbers in the red. "What's the problem?"

"Well, donations have been more than generous, but the people do what they can and it’s only so much... we need some big investors if we really want to put a dent in the water crisis, especially with what happened to Haiti."

There Mondatta goes again, working tirelessly to make the world a better place, one step at a time and never once asking for assistance. The aerialist can relate, and wishes he could help. Looking at Genji by his side, he suddenly gets an idea. "How about a charity event?"

"That would help enormously with visibility, but who— Hanzo, no." Mondatta realizes half a beat late and he can't ask that of his good friend. It would be too much.

"Hanzo _yes_."

The aerialist is undeterred, and Genji joins in enthusiastically. "Anija, you're a _goddamn genius_!"

"We'd have to ask Ana since she's the one in charge, but I had a look at the reports for the month. We've been doing well. We can afford to lose a night to a good cause."

Zenyatta jump-hugs his brother, for lack of a chance to hug Hanzo himself. "That's an amazing idea!" And it means Mondatta can stop worrying about numbers and spend some more time with him. "Can I perform as well? Oh Hanzo, I will have to hug you at the Studio tomorrow! Prepare yourself!"

The activist himself looks more than touched, and just smiles gratefully, knowing it would be a losing battle now that the aerialist made up his mind. "See Hanzo? You're an amazing person. Now I'm sad I'm not equipped for that kind of feelings, for if I was I'd try and steal your good graces from Akande without a second thought."

"I am immeasurably flattered." Hanzo chuckles affectionately. "Oh well. We'll have to live knowing you are my dearest friend, and I yours."

"Maybe in another dimension you're married and with 7 adopted kids, anija."

Mondatta ponders. "Why adopted? If it's an alternate dimension, one of us could be biologically able to carry a child or seven."

They all manage to keep straight faces for all of five seconds, before they dissolve into laughter.

"Well, that definitely cheered me up." Hanzo comments, after taking a few breaths to calm down his chortles. "Thanks guys."

"Anytime, my friend. I'll accompany Zenyatta at the Studio tomorrow to discuss your idea with Ana, if she is available?"

Genji smiles. "For you guys? She always is."

It's been definitely a hard night, but Hanzo goes to sleep feeling content about having a younger brother that loves him so, and his good friends to cheer him up. He tries not to think about where he's at in his relationship with Akande –he knows the first step of getting out of a toxic relationship is recognizing that it's unhealthy, but... is it really that bad? Has he been too passive in dismissing Akande's comments on his work and lifestyle when he should have just tried harder to make the man see his point?

He nods to himself as he gets into bed –one more chance. One more chance, but this time he will actually try and get the stubborn fighter to see where he's coming from, instead of dodging the issue with a _'think what you will'._

The first step in that will be inviting him to the Charity Event, if Ana gives the go ahead to organize it.

 

Watchpoint is even more packed than usual, with all the seats taken and some people even standing.

It took three months, between planning, marketing and of course choreographies and rehearsal -not to mention finding someone to make costumes for them... they had no idea who to ask until the silent and slightly scary security guard that mans the cameras at the club, Mako, heard them talk and mentioned a friend who "is kind of a designer and such, and might use a big commission."

Jamison "Junkrat" Fawkes is eccentric to say the least, but he and Genji get on like a house on fire and Hanzo secretly adores his enthusiasm as well.

It helps that the first thing he said upon meeting Hanzo was " _Bloody hell you can bounce quarters off the cans on this one_!" referring to the aerialist's very prominent pecs, "It's gonna take a lot of fabric to keep _those_ tits down."

Genji had, of course, started laughing uncontrollably; and an instant friendship was formed. Hanzo's good graces, instead, where won over when Jamison not only didn't bat an eyelash upon seeing his brother's scarred face, but also commented repeatedly on how attractive Genji was while measuring him.

" _Christ_ , you're pretty. Like seriously. No homo, but _damn_." He pauses, gestures for Genji to lift his arms to take the chest, and rephrases, "Not that there’d be anything bad, just ain't my cup of tea, y'know? But _you_! I'd _definitely_ swap teams for ya."

Zenyatta also likes Jamison's hilarious bluntness a lot, and he’s only joking when he proudly declares that _“Sorry, Genji’s taken, you’ll have to find someone else to turn gay for.”._

It also helps that for all his quirks, Jamison is an astounding designer and tailor. With a bit of a dangerous passion for inserting fire-worked materials into his creation, like shoulder or knee guards and other decorative elements in resin or other such rigid components, maybe; but nobody can argue how great the final results are.

For the Charity Event night, he made full-on dragon horns for Hanzo, since his duet with Satya will see a choreography in which the Aerial Doll finally tames the Dragon Ninja.

When they posted the announcement on the Studio's online pages, whose popularity is steadily growing together with the whole social media craze, reactions had been ecstatic –it will be their first time on stage together since the break-up.

Genji will also perform for Exotic, Zenyatta for silks and Fareeha will take a modern turn on bellydance and perform to ACDC.

Tonight also just so happens to mark three years ever since Zenyatta and Genji kissed for the first time -which they both agreed to consider the day they got together.

"Dear God, it seems like yesterday I was still stuck being an ass to you for no reason." Genji comments, as he carefully lines his eyes.

"And I was pining after you like a lost puppy?"

Zenyatta's words make Genji pause and turn. "That makes me sound harsh and cruel, beloved."

"You were." the younger aerialist points out, softening his gaze, "But you're also sweet and caring, and someone who learns from mistakes. And I love you."

The kiss on the cheek is unexpected but not unwelcome. "I love you too, Zen." He sighs happily, "Happy anniversary."

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees Hanzo glancing at his phone for possibly the seventh time in as many minutes, and his face turns sour -they all know Akande has been invited, and they also know that the UFC fighter has so far dismissed it with empty 'maybe's and 'we'll see'. As if indulging a child's petty demands.

Pretty much all of their friends agree that this guy does not deserve Hanzo in the slightest- Angela never even met Akande, and she also wonders why Hanzo hasn't broken up with him yet.

Satya's level, no-nonsense voice speaks Genji’s own thoughts as well: "Don't do this to yourself, Hanzo." She says, "If he cares even a little bit about you, he will show up and sit in the first row. If he doesn't... it might be time to admit that he isn't good for you."

 _'Yes, please.'_ Genji thinks, selfishly hoping Akande won't show up, if it makes his brother realize he could do so much better than that asshole. He is all for second chances and forgiving, especially after Zenyatta showed him exactly what giving someone a chance can result into, but this is getting painful. And he doesn't like it when Hanzo is in pain.

Eventually the time for waiting runs out, and they all have to get ready for their performances.

Winston, the Watchpoint’s owner, agreed heartily to the Charity Event and hired the announcer again to make it official, since the stage hall is being used and everything.

 

“Good evening everybody! Welcome to this performance night. The Dragon Flight Dance Studio and Charity: Water would like to thank everyone for coming and contributing to such a great cause, you all are the real stars!” the speaker says, as the light begin to redden and dim, “Let’s start the night giving a big round of applause to  our first performer, Fareeha ‘Pharah’ Amari!”

As the opening act, Fareeha looks lovely in her torn fringed shirt and decorative belt, dressed in a perfect blend of rock and tribal, as she starts shimmying quickly to the crescendo beat.

Her movements get more complex when the drums come into play, and there’s probably not a single person in the audience that can take their eyes off her bouncing curves –it’s definitely not the most revealing outfit Fareeha has been in, but despite the t-shirt and leggings the choreography shows off beautifully both her skills and her physique.

Even from backstage, her aerialist friends observe her reverently, especially with the way she sometimes waves, fluid like water, only to suddenly stop and chop her movements again. It’s fascinating –and much harder than one would be led to believe.

She starts head-banging at the word “Thunderstruck” and the crowd loses it. The entire four first rows are singing along by the time Fareeha has her back to the audience but arches back to look at the crowd upside down in time with the lyrics, it almost feels like a real concert.

If there’s one difference to point out, between belly-dance and aerial dances, is that belly-dance is much more involved –people will clap along, as they are now doing for Fareeha, or sing along, and she slowly walks towards the edge of the stage, closer and closer to the audience, when the music slows enough for the people’s claps to lord over the beat for a few seconds.

Then the guitars start back up, and Fareeha resumes head-banging, hip-locking, and doing all kinds of skilful evolutions with her chest and hips, arms expertly accompanying every movement in a fine show of motor control and mastery; making the audience go crazy with deafening cheers again until the very end.

Aerial dance doesn’t give you the same freedom to engage with the audience, because the performer is usually too focused on not falling to their death. Which is why Fareeha is almost always either the opening or the closing act: connecting with a crowd to such a level can both warm them right up for the rest of the evening, or bringing the evening to a perfect end.

Next up is Genji, who has been dressed by Jamison in high-waisted latex shorts, a matching crop-top, and a black suit blazer, contrasting nicely with the thigh-high heeled boots with a red latex vertical stripe on the front –to match the red eyeliner Genji did on himself. A black baseball cap is covering the pole dancer’s head along with the mask, which makes Hanzo shake his head fondly, knowing his brother is hiding his newest hairstyle for a dramatic reveal on stage.

The song starts, and it’s a mildly creepy music box-like melody. Cyborg Ninja walks in, carrying himself sluggishly, as if hung-over, and already several ladies in the audience scream for him.

The beat kicks up, and the first thing Genji does is lift the jacket to show off his abs, because why wouldn’t he –Zenyatta quietly approves and claps along from stage left, very much enjoying the show.

Genji grinds down for a couple of beats and then effortlessly pulls up extending his legs one after the other, in a motion so clean and fluid it almost looks like he could levitate, before going back down and catching everybody’s attention with  the barest circling of his hips. The floorwork is explosive as usual, with mid-air twirls that end in sharp drop-splits –even though the pole-supported backflip is definitely one of Zenyatta’s favorites and Genji does briefly look sideways towards him when he lands.

Briefly distancing himself from the pole, the younger Shimada again toys with his suit jacket, body weaving this and that way and buttons finally coming undone, much to the audience's cheering.

 

Genji turns, weaves, and finally goes back down to grind for the audience, reaching out for the pole with a wide kick brushed on the floor, bringing himself back to having his hands on the steel to lift and drop, pull up and grind down, cartwheel back and sinuously stand up, with one last full-body wave against the pole before turning and lifting up sideways, movements slow and deliberate as he suspends himself only to put his feet back down, twisting and turning mid-air until a charged kick fans around the pole and then his body drops suddenly into yet another sharp split.

Genji makes his pull-ups more fluid and his movement faster, his grip on the pole giving him the support he needs to change leg position in locked drops and thrusts, just to become slow and rippling again, as he "walks" a criss-cross pattern on basically thin-air, barely brushing the stage floor as he sinuously moves his hips left and right.

He sits back, body waving again before he pulls up and kicks out, dropping back down on open legs in a thump that by all means would be unrefined and unprofessional, but that is exactly the way it was intended to be, raw and sensual in a way that only Genji can make work. He body-waves his way back up, circling the pole as he walks backwards, going in what is conventionally the wrong way but perfectly in line with the 'drunken haze' theme his whole performance has going on. Finally, he steps away enough from the pole to take off his blazer.  Genji removes his jacket with torturous slowness as the audience goes crazy for him; especially since he bends forwards to drape the garment on his hips, to reach out under his legs and yank it away from below and throw it behind.

Arms now free, Genji goes at the pole with renewed energy, launching in a powerful spiral spin that has him end lying on the floor by his side; and he takes the chance to take off the black cap, revealing a shock of neon-green hair and whipping it around as he tumbles backwards, right before starting his climb.

The mask covering the lower side of Genji's face brings all the more attention to his eyes and hair, and on the pole he is a straight up vision.

Zenyatta is falling in love all over again.

Genji goes up high, showing off both his strength and his sex appeal as he opens his legs wide for the audience and relinquishes one hand on what should have been a two handed grip, using it instead to push away from the pole and hitting it with one thigh, then the other, then back again.

Zenyatta is already planning on how to get back at him tonight for this unrepentant teasing.

Genji keeps twisting and turning, going into a wide shoulder-mount only to climb up and gaining momentum to switch legs into a half drop; he stops himself on the pole but kicks his legs around in a wide fan, everyone expecting him to drop when he pulls back up instead, grabbing on with a twisted right-hand grip and swinging his legs around in a figure that doesn't quite have a name –he and Hanzo must have come up with it while rehearsing, if the proud smile on the elder Shimada is any indication.

Several switches and an aerial pirouette later, Genji is on the pole in a long-sit –one ankle firmly flexed behind the pole, thigh pressing inwards and one hand gripping above himself, leaving the other leg free for balance. One-upping such a concept, the Cyborg Ninja sinuously kicks said free leg in circles, steering himself around the steel pole as he does so, in a tempting little roundabout that has the audience screaming for him and Zenyatta more aroused than he should be while on stage left.

Satisfied with his teasing, Genji drops fast and loud on his knees, heels clacking expertly on the floor; then he swigs back up and starts circling the pole again, still moving as if he was dizzy and slightly out of it, so much so that the spin he goes into ends once more in a drop that by standard rules would be considered unceremonious, but that works for Genji and his daring persona.

But now Genji is on the floor, and there's nothing even _remotely_ dazed or confused in the way Cyborg Ninja grinds forwards, back, turns around and whips his legs on the stage floor.

He helps himself to the pole a couple more times, before scrambling away face down in what looks like frantic motions, carefully calculated to stop when the tips of his heels touch the ground, and he slowly tortures Zenyatta and the rest of the audience again, as his hips grind down once, twice, before he sits back and slides closer to stage front, because apparently they weren't going crazy enough for him yet.

Some floorwork and a windmill later, Genji retrieves his blazer and puts it back on, making his way back to the pole –not before urging the audience to scream more for him with a clap and a come-hither motion. Zenyatta knows that, underneath the mask, his beloved is smiling wide and bright like only dancing can make him.

 _That_ they have very much in common.

Stepping towards the pole, Genji also picks his cap back up, making a show of 'composing himself' before he quite literally grabs the pole and squats down to roll his hips around for the audience, in a motion that would have almost been vulgar, if it wasn't for the sheer elegance and power that the aerialist naturally exudes, much like his older brother or even Satya.

As a last treat, Genji pulls up into a handspring, whips his legs around once and then branches out into an iron X, going as far as undulating his legs left and right in time with the last few beats.

The cheers are deafening, and when he drops down and rolls away to take a bow the applause and whistling is still going strong, lasting until the lights go completely out.

It's easily the best performance of his career so far, and it swells Genji with pride when he looks toward stage left where his beloved and his brother are: Zenyatta is clapping enthusiastically while biting his lower lip with barely concealed desire, while Hanzo's claps are slower but his face is filled with pride and affection and even a little bit of awe for his excellent showmanship.

It makes the younger Shimada happy, knowing that, at least for a little while, he's been able to distract his big brother from the glum thought of his asshole no-show boyfriend.

 

The pole cleaners go up to clean and set up the silks on center stage, and Zenyatta's turn comes up.

The chosen song is a cover of Sweet Dreams –Mondatta’s absolute favorite song and one of the activist’s very few guilty pleasures– slower and more intense than the catchy original. For the occasion, Zenyatta performs on a pristine white silk, which deeply contrasts with his body-suit: upon hearing the song choice and concept, Jamison put his magic to use and made Zenyatta a flesh-colored bodysuit, embroidered in black all over, both to cover his privacy and to make draw complex decorations all over his body.

The song starts very slow and Zenyatta starts it with a backflip, climbing the silk with all the confidence of someone who wants to make brother and loved one proud alike. He inverts twice over to gain height and coil the silk around his midriff, riding along the slow crescendo until the end of the first stance. The second stance keeps going, and Zenyatta twists himself into a pike seat, part of the silk coiled around his right leg and torso, another section passing in-between his legs and over his left thigh, and the aerialist grabs the loose ends and yanks it, so that the silk will start spinning him around the support.

The beat drops, and so does Zenyatta –it’s Genji’s turn to be gobsmacked and not able to take his eyes off his beloved. From the first row, Mondatta cheers loudly for his baby brother. Zen opens position, kicking one leg back and the other up to slow the turning of the silk as he pulls up and straightens himself. He then separates the silks and makes several coils around one leg, bringing the other side of the silk over to coil around the free leg just ones and then yank both limbs out and behind, arching himself into a perfect moon shape. While the audience is still in awe of the beautiful figure, Zenyatta is already pulling up and uncoiling all but two rows, straightening himself again and straddling the silk as if it was an actual, stable surface.

There’s a sharp intake of breath from Genji’s direction and a not-so-subtle chuckle from Hanzo.

Taking advantage of the relative ease of his position, Zenyatta secures the silk around one wrist and then drops everything else, slithering his legs around the silk to then lock one ankle as well, bringing his body into a perfect line and then twisting over, and over, and over, until the whole length of his leg is wrapped and he extends the free one in a perfect gazelle split.

The uncoiling is fast and dynamic, and once again the audience makes its appreciation very much known. Zenyatta unfurls himself from the silk only to climb up again, twisting and straddling until again he has a secure coil between his hips, sides and legs, once more yanking at the loose end to make it spin, as he rests the silk behind one of his shoulders and lets go, spinning mid-air in what is technically called a Peter Pan seat. The music dies down, and Zen drops upside down as it goes nearly silent, he switches himself and uncoils himself completely, only hanging by his hands for a moment –not for long luckily, because another crescendo starts and Zenyatta climbs, coils and wraps. He holds the pose for the first beat, and only allows the silk to unfurl in the breath-taking spiral drop at the second beat, ending up a mere half meter from the floor and sliding down the rest of the way. The music slows to the point of stopping, and Zenyatta ‘reluctantly’ lets go of the silk to lay on his side, as if to fall asleep.

Genji meets him almost half-way when he goes backstage, hugging him and peppering his face with kisses. “You were absolutely stunning, my love.” He whispers with a smile, as Zenyatta lets himself be hugged and showered with love. His own lips split into an affectionate smile as Genji nuzzles his neck, but it dies down when, upon feeling him stop, Zenyatta follows Genji's gaze and looks towards his brother’s side:

Hanzo is discreetly peeking out of the curtain, trying to see if Akande is there yet or not, while also trying not to make them aware that he’s at all looking. Zenyatta’s mood dampens considerably, and the couple shares a look with Satya –the two of them are up next, not to mention closing act, so they really don’t have much time; she is already covered by her long vaguely Red Riding Hood inspired cape, and Hanzo is already in his torn fake straightjacket.

She walks to Hanzo and puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Hey.” She calls, “Videos of this will be all over the internet, and he’s going to be sorry he ever missed it.”

The elder Shimada scoffs despite himself. “Or he’s gonna say it’s frivolous and inappropriate.”

“Maybe.” The announcer is just about done presenting them, so Satya moves to take position, “Whatever the case, you don’t need his or anyone else’s approval. You _are_ the Dragon Ninja. Let’s give these people a good show.”

Finally smiling fondly at his good friend, Hanzo nods. “Thank you, Satya.”

 

The last song of the evening starts, and Satya is on stage centre, ‘oblivious’ to Hanzo until he walks backwards onstage and turns to face her, in choppy, monster-like movements. There’s a scream in the music, and Satya mimics it as Hanzo leaps to where she would have been hadn’t she run away, leaving room for him to land the jump and go down in a windmill as well, going back up into a spiral that he end by flailing his arms ‘madly’, effect enhanced by the broken straps of the straightjacket-like top Jamison made for him –the look is impressive for both of them, Satya very much the beauty, with doll-like make-up, red lips and smoky eyes, while Hanzo is every bit the beat, with messy hair, small fake dragon horns and silver eyeliner applied by Genji himself.

Tracking Satya’s movements, Hanzo steps to the first pole, while she flees to the chair back in centre stage and makes a show of cowering behind it. The Dragon Ninja climbs almost the full length of the pole hands only, without using his feet at all until he’s in position for a Russian split, then he flips his position once, twice, and sticks the landing on the floor.

Catcalls and cheers erupt when Hanzo starts taking off the straightjacket, white shorts and leather straps remaining as the only clothing on him –as per song, Satya ‘screams’ again and hides her face behind the chair. Hanzo climbs back up and goes into shoulder mount, switching the grip with the brass monkey several times before going into Iron X and finally dropping down.

There’s a pained voice groaning _“Somebody save me!”_ during which Dragon Ninja reaches out, grasping into thin air as he fruitlessly tries to grab at the Aerial Doll, and ends up heading smack-dab towards the second pole instead.

Satya runs away from him once more, and Hanzo lifts into a twisted grip handspring, sending his legs around every which way as he spins around, then hooking one ankle and one elbow, extending his pose until only the elbow remains, and the rest of his body is suspended sideways in a perfect show of strength and grace. He even air-walks for a little, before dropping down and finally finding Satya with his gaze.

She has run back to the chair as he ‘assaults’ her, tugging and pulling at her coat as she fights and struggles;  but here comes the twist: Satya is the one to win said fight, as she pretend-kicks Hanzo, who crumbles to the floor. She wilfully takes off her coat and throws it at his face, as he now submissively cowers on the stage floor, accepting the ‘generous gift’ and hugging the coat to himself as if to sniff it.

Free of the coat, Satya is beautiful in all-black lingerie and high heels, and it’s her turn to dominate the poles. She starts with a pirouette and a simple spin, but drops into a low straddle soon enough, while the Dragon Ninja is absolutely ‘captivated’, stepping this and that way on stage and making all kinds of enamoured faces.

From her sitting position, Satya grabs the pole in a shoulder-mount and uses the hold to backflip upright –which is hard to do barefoot, nevermind in heels. Clearly, the Aerial Doll has nothing less than the Dragon, in terms of both elegance and power. She climbs while he takes position on the chair, his wild admiration and gestures bordering on goofy as Satya goes into a seat, only to switch legs, do an aerial pirouette and end upside down in an elbow grip, legs wide and perfectly balanced as she swings them up and down several times.

Flipping down into a split, Satya switches to floorwork and Hanzo does as well, moving into a handstand while she sinuously makes her way over to the other pole.

Hanzo resumes watching Satya dreamily from the chair as she climbs the spinning pole and goes into an perfect box split, and when she slides back down and gestures for him to come forward he pretends to look behind and then ask ‘who me?’ as if there could be someone else Satya would refer to.

She nods, and he dazedly makes his way over, as they climb the pole together and he holds a knee out for her to sit on and let go, giving him a chance to ‘revel’ in the feeling of being allowed to hold her. They spin around like that for a couple of beats, and go back on the floor as the song dies out right when Hanzo reaches an elbow out for Satya to take.

They keep up the act for a split- second more, Hanzo ‘disbelieving’ his luck as Satya accepts the arm, but then they hug as the audience cheers for them and they both run off stage.

All through the performance, there was no trace of Akande. Not even after the final thank you and bow that all the performers take together.

They’re all in the changing rooms when finally Genji says something about it to his brother: “You know that doesn’t mean anything.” He tries, extending a hand to brush Hanzo’s face, “You were amazing tonight, you’re a bona fide aerial god and if that stuck-up son of a bitch can’t be bothered to come and find out, it’s his loss.”

The aerialist closes his eyes for a second, enjoying the touch of someone he cares about and nodding. “Thank you, Genji, but I’ve already decided.” He states, with a certain finality in his voice: “I’m going to his hotel room now.”

"Really, brother?” the younger Shimada cannot quite believe it, and he can’t help but comment. “You’re just gonna run to him, like some kind of booty call, validate all the shit that he thinks about us?"

Hanzo’s face softens into a smile. "No Genji.” He assures, returning the caress and indulging in petting his little brother’s hair, “I'm going there to break up with him."

The expression on Genji's face changes to one of pride. "That's my big brother."

Mondatta, who was busy hugging and congratulating his little brother, takes the time to turn to Hanzo and offer support as well: “For better or worse, the long string of negativity you were dragging behind you ends tonight.” He says, with a friendly pat on the shoulder, “You’re strong, Hanzo. Perhaps stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

“I’ll call you later.” Hanzo promises, then turning to Genji, “You enjoy your time with Zenyatta.”

 

At the hotel, Hanzo is sitting on the couch, rubbing a hand over his eyes and feeling the pull of the stage make up still covering his skin. He glances over, and sure enough Akande is staring at him with a mixture of confusion and desire. They haven’t said anything to each other, Hanzo just showed up to the room and stepped in, silently taking a seat.

"Come here." He eventually says, beckoning with one hand. Akande goes, stopping just in front of him.

"On your knees." Hanzo orders. Akande hesitates, but the desire in his eyes burns stronger. The aerialist keeps his gaze even, challenging. "Are you going to make me repeat myself?"

Akande kneels.

His face is level with Hanzo's sternum, as the aerialist opens his legs to accommodate the other's frame between them and hug his shoulders. He rests his forehead on Akande's head.

"Why do you only look at me like that when we have sex?"

"What?"

Hanzo swallows. "The way you look at me. Like I'm some kind of disappointment all the time because I'm not the perfect little picture you thought up for me." And goddamn, if that doesn't spell out daddy issues Hanzo doesn't know what does. He tries not to think too much about how the statement does apply to his late father as well and presses on. "You only look at me like I'm worth something when we have sex. You say I demean myself with my profession, but literally no one has ever made me feel as lowly as you do."

Akande pulls back from the embrace, catching up on where the conversation is going, desire evaporating from his face in favor of a scowl. "What are you trying to say, Hanzo?"

"I invited you to this event. It was important, about helping people, saving lives. It was possibly the most important moment in my career so far. And you brushed it off. You didn’t even call to say you weren’t coming." Hanzo lists off his fingers, before looking down with a sigh. "This is me breaking up with you."

That seems to snap the UFC fighter out of his confusion, making him jump back and stand upright, fist clenched.

"No." He mutters. "You don't really wanna do this. You're just angry that I missed your big night and are being petty."

Hanzo scoffs, standing up as well. "Am I, though?" He asks, gaze not once wavering, "Ever since I met you a few years ago, you've done nothing but put down and antagonize my work, while I haven't uttered one word about your overcompensating UFC bullshit."

"Hanzo, that's not true and you know it--"

The aerialist knows very well that it's not a universal constant in the fighting world and Zarya, loud and brash but  lovely all the same is living proof of that; but if Akande gets to make asshole generalizations then so does he. "You don't hesitate to show me off but recoil when I actually tell people what I do, about the biggest, most important aspect of my life. Let's just face it... we have nothing in common."

"We do have things in common... Hanzo, if only you--"

"No." Hanzo interrupts him again, not wanting to hear what Akande has been saying to him for years now. "I'm tired of people trying to shape me in what they think I should be. That ship sailed a long time ago." He says, narrowing his eyes to a dangerous edge, "And you should be grateful that it did."

Implications lost on someone who doesn't know about the Shimada clan, Akande just watches for a while, as Hanzo turns away and starts to gather the few things he had brought with him to the hotel room –jacket, motorcycle keys and such.

"I'm sorry Akande. For what it's worth, the sex was great and it's been an honor to be your occasional sparring partner. But this is it."

"I do wonder..." the UFC fighter says, just as Hanzo reaches the door, "Is this you speaking, or _Genji_? We both know your little brother says jump and you pull out a trampoline. You'd do anything to indulge him. Are you sure you're not putting _him_ before _us_?"

"Genji made it no secret that he despises you, but he's not the reason I'm breaking up with you." Hanzo clenches his jaw. Akande has always spoken disdainfully of Genji, and it always makes him furious how derogatory and dismissive his soon to be _ex_ -boyfriend is about him. "I'm putting _myself_ before us. You only love me if I can fit in the 'perfect' little puzzle in your head. If I refuse to change for you, then I'm worthless. It's not healthy, Akande. Goodbye."

That's when Akande grabs him by a shoulder and yanks him roughly back. "So you'd really throw away a perfectly good thing to keep shaking your ass around a pole like that whore of a brother—"

He doesn't get to finish, because Hanzo turns sharply, grabs the offending hand by the outer side and twists, feeling the crack of the ring finger and pinky breaking underneath the pressure. "Try once more to restrain me against my will and I'll break the rest of your hand." He hisses threateningly, watching with a strangely detached feeling as Akande slouches in pain, cradling his injured hand to his chest and looking up at him with a mixture of confusion, anger and fear. "Insult my brother again and _I will kill you_."

The UFC fighter can't quite believe his eyes, this is nowhere near the playful but reserved Hanzo he fell for –it's a cold, ruthless killing machine, he's been in enough fights to know... and it gives a strong hint to where Genji got his scar and why the brothers are so tightly knit together.

Shit. He messed with the wrong people.

Something must show on his face, because the aerialist's expression mellows out some,  and he strides to the telephone in the room to dial. "Hello? Yes I think I need an ambulance or something to the Hotel Le Meridién. There's a man with two broken fingers." It makes Akande feel almost sentimental that Hanzo would still call help for him, but he's also mildly terrified by how good the aerialist is at lying about who he is and what happened. "I don't know, but it looks like blunt trauma. Yes. Thank you." Hearing only one side possibly makes it all the more surreal, and Hanzo's face is emotionless as he moves to finally exit.

"I shouldn't have done that." He mutters, "I'll understand if you want to press charges."

Akande ponders for a second. Looking at Hanzo right now, at the way the aerialist is staring at him emotionless and detached after their scuffle, Akande finally realizes that it's over –clearly, he knows nothing about his man, and he probably only has himself to blame. He stopped at the surface after it didn't meet his expectations, and tried relentlessly to change that, with no interest for whatever was underneath as long as what was right before his eyes wouldn’t change. He's probably been a shitty boyfriend, but maybe he can do one thing right in their whole relationship: letting it go. "Nah. I was basically assaulting you, so I kinda asked for it." He chuckles bitterly. "So much for the national tournament."

Hanzo pauses. " _That_ I really am sorry about."

"Don't think about it." Akande grits out, pain slowly getting the better of him. "Go, before the medic gets here."

With a nod, the aerialist finally makes his exit. "Goodbye, Akande."

“Goodbye, Hanzo.”

 

Genji is just kissing Zenyatta goodbye when he receives Hanzo’s text.

_«On my way back. Keep snacks handy. Be proud of me.»_

He knows his big brother well enough to know what it means, and shows the text to Zen.

The young yoga teacher frowns slightly. “He’s probably hurting a lot right now… but it’s for the best. Better now than further down the road.”

Genji nods, hugging his beloved close. “I just wish there was something I could do for him.” He mutters, nuzzling Zen’s neck, “He’s given me so much…”

“Believe me, I understand the feeling.” After all, Hanzo was instrumental in getting the two of them together, and while Zenyatta wouldn’t quite say he’s indebted to him, it comes pretty damn close. “What you can do for him is give your love, and support. Be there for him until he can be there for himself again.”

Genji nods. “I’ll call you in the morning.”

“I’ll tell Mondatta when he gets back.” They both know that the activist’s curiosity regarding the Watchpoint and its activities was a blatant ruse to give the two of them some alone time, and they are very grateful –Zen will probably call Reyes and ask him to escort Mondatta home, because as of right now, Genji _has_ to go straight home to be there when Hanzo comes back _._ “You go be with your brother.”

 

Hanzo cries hard in Genji's arms when he comes home, still with the stage make-up until his little brother manages to coax him into taking a shower.

They don't see or hear from Akande 'Doomfist' Ogundimu at all after that. Which is probably for the better, since the younger Shimada promptly swears bloody murder on the man who broke his brother's heart –it takes a lot of coaxing from Zenyatta to make him promise not to actually make an attempt on Akande's life, should he ever meet the man while unsupervised.

A few months pass with a lot of support and care from his friends, but the aerialist eventually does move on, happily single and caring for his pole pupils and colleagues at the Studio, who are basically his family. Not to mention the staff from the Watchpoint –Winston has been absolutely ecstatic about the Charity Event and they laid down business plans together to make it a regular occurrence.

Business is going better than ever, and it's enough to keep Hanzo distracted.

Eventually, Genji finds, life goes on. His big brother is fine. He's become more reserved and closed off, sometimes bordering on grouchy, so things are not perfect, but good enough.

And that's the least he can ask for the brother who saved his life and set him free, following him to the other side of the world and leaving everything behind.

That is, until a fresh breeze of change blows around at Watchpoint.

 

It's September again, a few days after his and Zenyatta's fifth anniversary –Hanzo has been teasing Genji relentlessly about when is he going to propose, to which the younger always replies with a very pointed glare and a "fuck you", vehemently denying any blushing that may or may not occur. Thing is, the Watchpoint's popularity has been ever-increasing, along with the Studio's, both establishments becoming more and more high-profile, and Winston found himself needing some more staff.

The first time Genji sees Jesse McCree, it's barely a fleeting glance from where he was hanging upside down, doing his performance while Reyes showed the 'new guy' around.

Genji is not an idiot and fake modesty is unbecoming, so he knows full well that most people have a knee-jerk reaction of arousal when they see him for the first time; he can't deny it when everyone can see it. Angela always teases him, saying both him and Hanzo give off a peculiar pheromone that makes people instantly attracted to them... but it's honestly not that far-fetched a theory. Zenyatta does say he smells really good, and has confessed to thinking Hanzo very attractive as well, way back when he first saw him, so there's that.

That being said, he's very pleasantly surprised when the new guy's reaction to him up close is a curious "You look different with clothes on" and nothing else –Genji finds it hilarious, while Hanzo by his side just tries not to shake his head at the umpteenth idiot that obviously knows fuck all about aerial sports.

But even more surprising is that Jesse McCree reacts to the elder brother the way most people usually react to _Genji_.

The young Shimada feels it on his person on an everyday basis, so he knows to look for the signs: the man's moth goes dry as they shake hands, he can't take his eyes off Hanzo but all the same can't quite seem to focus on any one thing in particular, and his words catch in his throat.

This could be very, _very_ good.

Deciding to take pity on the poor man, Genji offers him an out: “Don’t mind the pudding-face, I had a little accident when I was 24.” He says casually, as if something that leaves you half-disfigured for life is actually a ‘little’ anything –but the new guy doesn’t need to know right away, and Genji simply has to keep talking long enough to see whether his instinct is still as good as it used to be. “I usually keep it covered while performing to avoid upsetting the audience, but honestly I don’t give a fuck.”

Predictably, they get along well enough, and Jesse is even nice to Hana right away. They keep making conversation for a while, until Hanzo has to get ready for the stage and McCree mentions that his big brother doesn’t really look like a pole dancer. “Oh, you’d be surprised.” He comments cheekily, eyeing the American sideways as the lights on stage start to dim again, “What is it that American saying? _It’s always the quiet ones_?”

Genji makes sure to watch McCree closely during Hanzo's Rockbox performance. He sees in this man looking at Hanzo the same way Zenyatta has been looking at him since day one. And McCree's barely spoken fifteen words to his brother.

Hanzo doesn't perform as much as he does at the Watchpoint, busy as he is with the new flock of beginners; so it falls upon Genji to try and get these two closer -and he _has to_ , Jesse is tall and handsome in a rugged way that is definitely not a conventional definition of attractive; but 'conventional' is boring and Hanzo is much more attracted to the unusual and intriguing. The easygoing personality and relaxed attitude, clashing wildly with his intimidating size and subtly dangerous demeanor, are just enough to have piqued Hanzo's interest, and Genji _knows_. He invites Jesse to try out an aerial yoga class, after seeing the guard have a slight problem with the flexibility of his left arm and a rather stiff upper back. It will be good for him, and it will get him to meet Hanzo in a setting where his brother is even more at ease.

"You shouldn't meddle, beloved." Zenyatta chastises him as they set up the class together, but they both can see what is happening in the hallway from the glass doors, and they have a perfect view of Jesse passing by the door to Hanzo's class and the aerialist almost literally walking into him.

They seem to exchange just a few short words, and then Hanzo is waving at them and leading Jesse into the room –Genji and Zen couldn't hear what was said, but both of them know Hanzo's tells: a brush of the hair here, a sideways look there, a lip bite when Jesse isn't looking.

The Dragon Ninja is intrigued –he has been ever since Genji mentioned Jesse might be an actual, honest-to-God cowboy, or possibly since day one.

Genji looks at Zenyatta with undeniable smugness.

"Fine!" Zen whispers, kissing his beloved's cheek to not be heard. "You win, I'm in!"

Mondatta would probably disapprove if he wasn't on yet another one of his trips, even with the whole Akande fiasco the activist left the choice ultimately to Hanzo, since he believes poking one's nose into people's private business is wrong... but Hanzo saw in him someone who could help and make Genji happy, someone worth encouraging to pursue that passion, he supported him as much as his actual brother; and it's brought Zenyatta more happiness than he could ever imagine.

Now Genji is seeing that for his brother in Jesse McCree; and Zenyatta cares for Hanzo as his own family. It's high time to pay his happiness and love forward. He asks who is here for the first time, and assesses the show of hands.

"Very well. Are there any injuries I should be aware of?”

He makes a couple of changes to the class just enough to put Hanzo and Jesse side by side –as an aerialist himself, he knows some forces work out no matter what, but he also knows that sometimes there's nothing wrong with giving them just a little pull.

He meets Genji's gaze through the gaps in their hammocks, as he speaks to McCree.

“You are quite tall.” Zenyatta says to Jesse, making him switch places with the shorter lady who seemed to be struggling with the orange hammock, nevermind that Genji purposely strung that particular hammock a bit higher than the others to accommodate a six-feet-and-then-some man, “Even if your body is not too flexible, you will be alright here, and Hanzo can help you along, should you need it while both Genji and I are already busy helping others.” And just as Jesse is blatantly drawn to the aerialist, so does Hanzo gravitate towards him, being it teacher instinct, will to help, or simply the pull of attraction.

Zenyatta smiles warmly. It looks like things will be alright after all.

“Who’s ready for the real fun?”

 

~

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> References:  
> [Fareeha's outfit and dance](https://vimeo.com/254690707);  
> [Genji's outfit and dance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u7Z899O_BE) (minus the mouse ears, Genji is definitely not the mouse ears type lol... but good God look at that woman I'm in love. AGAIN.);  
> [Zenyatta's performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ZCxbWNHuU); and his [outfit](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/23/article-2297850-18DD92B4000005DC-355_634x944.jpg)because I really didn't like the outfit in the video;  
> [Hanzo and Satya's duet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TopYcm_6zd0)
> 
> whew! That should be it. Let me know if I missed any references.  
> Let me know in general if there's someone still following this trainwreck, lol.  
> Off -i go to dinner and then more pole videos.  
> It's been a wild ride, Thank you, everyone, for sticking around.  
> <3


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